By Carol Robidoux
The Patch
December 9, 2011
http://bedford-nh.patch.com/articles/community-welcomes-bishop-peter-libasci#photo-8656657
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| Peter Kellen, a member of a Boston-based survivor's network, outside St. Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Credit Carol Robidoux |
Nearly 1,000 people jammed the sanctuary of St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Manchester Thursday afternoon to witness the installation of Bishop Peter Anthony Libasci, who officially became the 10th Catholic Bishop of the Manchester Diocese Dec. 8.
Dozens of Catholic church clergy and laymen, as well as Knights of Columbus members, fully decked in feathered hats, dark capes and white gloves, lined up outside the church to wait for Libasci to move to the head of the procession.
Once inside the cathedral, Libasci stood off to the side in the narthex while the long line of Catholic dignitaries filed past him and into the fully-packed sanctuary, including Bishop John McCormack, whose recent retirement prompted the search for a new church leader.
Libasci spoke casually before delivering his first homily – acknowledging those he left behind at his former outpost in Long Island, and getting a few laughs in the process.
"To all of our civic leaders and all gathered here at this church, and all of you following this liturgy on television here in New England and on Long Island as well, because I told them they couldn't come – they had to let you have the seats here. Very happily they all are able to watch on television, and I mean that most sincerely, wearing the cufflinks they gave me – and there's the proof," Libasci said flashing the jewelry on his sleeve to cameras on both sides of the sanctuary.
Libasci previously served as Auxiliary Bishop for the Eastern Vicariate of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York. He will oversee all 90-plus Catholic parishes within New Hampshire.
Aside from those who had tickets for the actual installation in Manchester, Thursday's ceremony was also broadcast live on three different Catholic cable television stations; webcast via local television station WMUR, and the action was chronicled through social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
Standing outside the church was Dan Bostrom of Montauk, New York, whose wife Lynda was inside, one of those who got a ticket to attend the installation ceremony.
"He's a wonderful man. I think everyone up here will come to love him," Bostrom said. "He's a sweet man and a very real person. He was instrumental in helping us build our church. He's truly a unifier."
Also standing outside the church was Paul Kellen and Stan Doherty, protestors holding posters featuring the faces of children identified as those who had been victims of abuse by Catholic priests in a highly publicized scandal first reported in the United States in 2002. They were victims whose allegations against priests included several Boston clergy, and eventually led to a number of allegations against priests in New Hampshire, as well.
"We don't understand why people come to honor the criminals," said Kellen, a member of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
He said he doesn't know much about Libasci's background, and said he believes a majority of those within the church are actually good Christian men.
"I'm a cradle Catholic – I still go to Mass every Sunday," Kellen said. "Once they train you to go to Mass every Sunday, I figure it's a good a time as any to take the time to hold up these signs and remind people of the children who suffered."
He said he and others have continued to stand outside Catholic churches in Boston every week for the past decade; he'll continue to be a voice for those who were victimized.
"When enough people care enough, things will change," Kellen said.
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