FALL RIVER — The Fall River Diocese will welcome a new shepherd next week as Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., is installed as Eighth Bishop of Fall River.

The installation will take place in the context of a 2 p.m. Mass on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River.

Priests, permanent deacons, representatives of religious communities serving in the diocese, delegates from diocesan ministries and institutions, and two representatives from each of the 84 parishes in the diocese will join with family and friends of Bishop da Cunha for this significant event in the life of Fall River Diocesan Church.

Because of the limited capacity of St. Mary’s Cathedral, admission will be by ticket only.

WLNE-TV, Channel 6, New Bedford-Providence, will broadcast the Mass of Installation live, beginning at 2 p.m., and the station will stream it on its website, www.abc6.com.

It will also be carried live by CatholicTV and the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), two cable networks carried by most cable television providers in the area.

As Metropolitan Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap., will install Bishop da Cunha as Bishop of Fall River in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo M. Vigano.

The Rite of Installation will follow the reception of Bishop da Cunha at the door of the Cathedral and include remarks by retiring Fall River Bishop George W. Coleman; an introduction by Cardinal O’Malley; the reading by Archbishop Vigano of the Apostolic Letter of Appointment naming Bishop da Cunha as the Bishop of Fall River; the presentation of the Letter to the Diocesan College of Consultors; and the escorting of Bishop da Cunha to his cathedra –or, chair- at which he takes possession of the Diocese. Greetings to the newly-installed bishop will then take place from representative members of clergy, religious and laity together with ecumenical and interfaith leaders.

Bishop da Cunha will be principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass. Among principal concelebrants will be two preceding bishops of Fall River: Bishop Coleman, who has led the diocese since 2003; and Archbishop Emeritus Daniel A. Cronin of Hartford, Conn., who served here from 1970 to 1992. Cardinal O’Malley, who was Bishop of Fall River from 1992 to 2002, will preside at the Mass.

Lectors will be Claire McManus, S.T.L., who is director of Faith Formation in the Fall River Diocese, and Osvaldo Pacheco, a parishioner of Santo Christo Parish, Fall River.

The Fall River Diocesan Choir, whose members come from 13 parishes in the diocese, will lead music during the Mass together with representatives of the Brazilian Music Ministry and the Hispanic Music Ministry in the diocese. Music director and organist will be Madeleine Grace and cantors will be Elizabeth Heath and James LaFlame.

After the Cathedral ceremony, Bishop da Cunha will greet participants and congregants at a reception at White’s of Westport. The reception will later open to interested members of parishes from throughout the diocese who were invited to request tickets in recent weeks at their parishes.

Diocese of Fall River
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