Fall River Diocese Installs Eighth Bishop

Turn to 10
September 25, 2014

http://www.turnto10.com/story/26613252/fall-river-to-install-eight-bishop

[with video]

With fanfare and ceremony, Edgar Moreira da Cunha entered the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption on Wednesday to be installed as the eighth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River.

"Twenty-one years ago, I was sitting in that hot seat," said Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Boston Archdiocese, who presided over the installation.

O'Malley served as bishop of Fall River from 1992 to 2002.

O'Malley was among the respected clergy members on hand for the ceremony to welcome da Cunha, but to also say goodbye to retiring Bishop George Coleman.

After remarks from Coleman and O'Malley, the apostolic nuncio to the United States read the Letter of Appointment signed by Pope Francis.

"By the Supreme Apolistic Authority, we appoint you bishop of Fall River," Archbishop Carlo Vigano said.

Da Cunha was led to his chair on the altar, where he formally became bishop.

"We need to be a Church where people feel welcomed regardless of their nationality, their language, their culture, the color of their skin, or their accent. As you can tell, I don't have an accent. That is, a New England accent," said da Cunha, who was born in Brazil.

Demonstrators from Road to Recovery, an organization for clergy abuse victims, gathered across from the cathedral.

"Actually, I was abused in the diocese where this bishop was coming from," said one man.

The protesters made the trip from New Jersey, where they are members of the bishop's former diocese. They made claims of several incidents of sexual abuse under da Cunha's watch.

"How a man like this could be appointed as a bishop, period, and now the head bishop of a diocese, is beyond me," said Bob Hoatson of Road to Recovery.

Da Cunha will preside over more than 300,000 people and 84 parishes across Southeastern Massachusetts.