St. Paul welcomes Bishop Franken in multi-language ordination Mass

ST. PAUL, Alta.—Father Gary Franken of Vancouver became Bishop Gary Franken of the Diocese of St. Paul Alberta Tuesday as hundreds gathered in the Cathedral of St. Paul for a joyful episcopal ordination on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe as well as National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous People. 

The Diocese of St. Paul has a long and rich heritage of Metis and Indigenous peoples, which was honoured with the first reading in the liturgy being proclaimed in Cree. Mary is revered as the Mother of Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas and the feast day was marked with a bouquet of flowers at the base of Our Lady’s image at the cathedral. The bouquet also included a letter filled with messages of love and congratulations to Bishop Franken from his friends and parishioners from his home Archdiocese of Vancouver.

“I feel overwhelmed in the best way,” said Bishop Franken after the ordination.  “There were points throughout the ordination ceremony where it was beautiful; I felt lifted up by the prayers of everyone gathered and of all the saints. So I’m thinking to myself, ‘OK, God, with all this outpouring of grace you’re going to keep me going as you wish and I say yes!’”

Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith was the consecrating bishop, with Bishop-Emeritus Paul Terrio who is retiring and Vancouver Archbishop Michael Miller. Bishop Franken is the former vicar-general of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

Canadian bishops in attendance included the Papal Nuncio for Canada Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic and Cardinal Thomas Collins of the Archdiocese of Toronto, who previously served as the Bishop of St. Paul from 1997 to 1999.

Cardinal Collins offered a homily that spoke poignantly of the call on bishops to live self-sacrificially for the sake of their flock, just as Christ sacrificed himself for humanity.

He shared the story of St. John Fisher, a bishop in 16th-century England who was martyred for defending the Church’s teachings against the defiant monarch Henry VIII. Cardinal Collins commended Bishop Franken for his commitment to being willing to “bring Christ forth to a increasingly hostile world” with the same strength of spirit.

Archbishop Smith led the laying on of hands, signifying the conferring of the Holy Spirit to Bishop Franken as he is elevated to the apostolic position of bishop.

The ordination concluded with Bishop Franken seated in the cathedra chair, signifying his authority as bishop, as he was welcomed by his new community, the congregation, and the embrace of each of his brother bishops.

Crystal Dean, a long-time resident of St. Paul and lifelong Catholic, said “the fact that our new bishop is part of a long line of successors to the apostles brings my heart much joy and hope.” The Church has “withstood the test of time,” she said.

“Bishop Franken comes across as a humble man with a heart for the people and his clergy. I trust that the wisdom he has been given from the Holy Spirit through his episcopal ordination will guide his decision making. God never fails to equip. I am happy to welcome Bishop Franken to our diocese and our family will be praying for him!”

Father Paul Moret, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Spruce Grove, attended St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ont., with Bishop Franken in the late 1980s.

“I was very enthusiastic about it when I heard that he was appointed as the Bishop of St. Paul, because of course I knew him from seminary,” Father Moret said. “His pastoral and administrative skills that’s he’s obviously demonstrated through his years of priestly ministry suit him well for the role of a bishop.”

While Bishop Franken is being warmly welcomed into St. Paul, he will also be greatly missed by the Archdiocese of Vancouver, Archbishop Michael Miller said.

“I thought it was a blessed event and St. Paul has a terrific bishop! Bishop Franken was a wonderful pastor and vicar general in Vancouver and he will do splendidly as a bishop.”

To watch the livestream of the ordination Mass visit bccatholic.ca/frankenordination.

See the Jan. 2 issue for more coverage.

Canadian Catholic News

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