PEMBROKE, ON, September 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Immediately after his ordination today as the new bishop of the Catholic diocese of Pembroke, a small diocese in Canada's Ottawa Valley district, Bishop Michael Mulhall emphasized that the pro-life issue is a very high priority for him.During a brief meeting with the press after the ordination LifeSiteNews asked the bishop for his views on the abortion issue. He unhesitatingly responded, "It is one of the most pressing difficulties, challenges of our time."
The bishop continued, "It's a difficulty that's unseen, it's a difficulty that's reeking havoc in our spiritual lives, in our nation and throughout the world. So to keep it in our minds and our hearts and in the forefront even of our political movements is very important. So I encourage them and will be supporting as much as I can."
The new bishop ended, "Pro-life is an incredibly important issue for us in the Church today."
Bishop Mulhall, who was born in Peterborough, was most recently the Vicar General and Chancellor for Spiritual Affairs of the Diocese of Peterborough under Bishop Nicola De Angelis. De Angelis is known for his fidelity to the Church's moral and spiritual teachings and was beaming over the ordination of his Vicar General.
Bishop De Angelis, Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast and Canada's Apostolic Nuncio (representative of the Pope) Archbishop Luigi Ventura were co-consecrators of the only 45-year-old Fr. Mulhall at St. Columbkille's Cathedral in Pembroke. Also present were 21 other Canadian bishops, over 100 priests and numerous well-wishers from the Pembroke and Peterborough dioceses.
In his homily Archbishop Ventura noted that today is the 125th anniversary of the Consecration of the first bishop of Pembroke on September 21, 1882.
Archbishop Ventura also stressed multiple times that it is the role of the bishop to be the "guarantor of faith". He thanked the bishop's father and mother who were present for the ordination.
At the very end of his remarks after the ordination mass, newly elect Bishop Mulhall stated, "May the growth
of His (God's) people in holiness be my abiding and eternal joy".The diocese contains the internationally known Madonna House in Combermere, founded by Catherine de Hueck Doherty, and the growing young Catholic College, Our Lady of Seat of Wisdom Academy in Barry's Bay. Both are known to share the bishop's strong emphasis on pro-life and fidelity to Church teaching and are undoubtedly delighted to have this young, faithful new bishop as their chief spiritual shepherd.