Joliet Diocese Installs New Bishop, by Cindy Wojdyla, Southtown Star, July 14, 2011

Joliet Diocese Installs New Bishop

By Cindy Wojdyla
Southtown Star
July 14, 2011

http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/6518320-418/joliet-diocese-installs-new-bishop.html

People line up to watch Bishop R. Daniel Conlon (center) during the procession for the installation of Conlon as head of the Joliet Diocese at the Cathedral of St. Raymond on Thursday, July 14, 2011, in Joliet. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media

Thunderous applause filled the cavernous Cathedral of St. Raymond Thursday afternoon as a new leader took over as the fifth bishop for the 62-year-old Joliet Diocese.

The more than 1,000 people who filled the cathedral breathed in pungent incense, listened to choral crescendos and watched the pageantry-filled installation Mass for Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, 61, who had been serving as a bishop in Steubenville, Ohio.

Siblings Jonita Ruth and Millie Pucel didn’t have tickets to get into the Mass. But they were so excited about the ceremony, they plopped lawn chairs in the grassy median on Raynor Avenue to watch the long procession of Knights of Columbus guards, deacons, priests and bishops walk into the church.

“This is something that belongs to the Catholic religion, and ... I’m going to cry,” Ruth said, her voice choking with emotion. “And it is something we need in this world. You couldn’t live without it.”

Inside the church, a representative of Pope Benedict XVI read a decree nominating Conlon for the post, and Cardinal Francis George of the Chicago Archdiocese escorted Conlon to the cathedra, or bishop’s chair.

Conlon’s duties as leader of the seven-county diocese, home to almost 700,000 Catholics, started when he sat in the chair at about 2:20 p.m. And that’s when the applause rang out.

“These are not goose bumps, these are God bumps,” said diocese staffer Christine Pershey as she pointed to her arms. “I’m just so impressed. It’s just amazing.”

Conlon gave the homily for the Mass and was the primary celebrant for the communion service. During his remarks, Conlon thanked Bishop Joseph Siegel for his service as interim leader of the diocese. Siegel will now resume his duties as auxiliary bishop.

Conlon thanked all who attended the event, including parishioners.

“You represent the vitality and diversity of hundreds of thousands of good people who have been called to faith in Christ Jesus and membership in his church. What a joy it is for me to be with you.”

He also said he believed that becoming a bishop was part of God’s plan for him.

“I did not seek to be a bishop nor am I worthy to be one,” he said. “This is all someone else’s idea. And although God may use human instruments, in the end, it is his idea.”

Conlon has been a bishop for nine years and is from Cincinnati. His predecessor, J. Peter Sartain, who served as bishop in Joliet for four years, was promoted to archbishop of Seattle in December.

Bishop Joseph Imesch also took part in the Mass. He served as head of the Joliet diocese prior to Sartain for 28 years. He retired in the summer of 2006 when the diocese was facing 15 lawsuits regarding alleged sexual abuse by priests.