Our Bishop-Designate Joseph Dabrowski CSMA met with the priests of the Diocese of Charlottetown, Thursday, April 13 in the MacKenzie Room at St. Pius X Church in Charlottetown.
A large gathering of priests, both active and retired, were present to greet our new Bishop.
Snacks, Coffee and Tea were provided by St. Pius X Parish and the Diocese of Charlottetown.
We began our gathering with Midday Prayer.
Bishop Joseph was formally introduced by Fr. Brian MacDougall, the Diocesan Administrator.
Bishop Joseph then offered congratulations and well wishes to some of the priests who were celebrating significant ordination anniversaries and/or milestone birthdays this year.
Bishop Dabrowski then gave us an encouraging talk and also filled us in on some of his background.
He asked the priests around the table to introduce themselves and perhaps mention some of the things they would like to see in the Church’s mission for the near future.
Fr. Albin Arsenault, relating a common concern of his parishioners asked “When will the Bishop be installed as our Ordinary?”
It was just decided that the ceremony will take place at St. Dunstan’s Basilica on the Feast of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, Thursday, June 29. Further details will be released closer to that date. (But mark your calendars now.)
Bishop Joseph was asked about his background and early life in Poland and he shared that the seminaries in Italy where he was trained were involved in a soccer league. (It seems he was a very good player; but we will leave that story for the Bishop to tell).
After the round table session we broke for informal talk and sharing with the Bishop and had more snacks and coffee.
Bishop Joseph will be here on PEI for a few more days and you may see him in Charlottetown in and around the Basilica this weekend.