Diocese Welcomes Bishop Burbidge

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge was installed as the Fifth Bishop of Raleigh during a solemn liturgy Friday, August 4, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. The ceremony took place at the Meymandi Concert Hall for the Center for Performing Arts, located on East Street in Raleigh.

Taking part in the ceremony were four cardinals, four archbishops and approximately 30 bishops. The list of dignitaries included Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia; William Cardinal Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore; Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia; and Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, D.C. Also attending were Archbishop John P. Foley, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, Archdiocese of Atlanta, who presided over the installation. Most Reverend Stefan Soroka, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Eparchy of Philadelphia, and the Most Reverend Francis B. Schulte, Archbishop-Emeritus of New Orleans, were also be in attendance.

Reverend Monsignor Martin Krebs, Charge d'Affaires ad interim, represented Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.

Bishops in attendance were from dioceses in the Atlanta Province, which includes the Diocese of Raleigh, and bishops from Regions XIII and XIV, which comprise the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. They were also joined by the six auxiliary bishops from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

A procession began at 2:15 p.m. commencing with the seminarians of the Raleigh diocese, followed by the pastoral administrators, attending deacons, concelebrating priests, priests from the Diocese of Raleigh, visiting priests and the Priest Council. Father Paul Byron, senior diocesan priest, carried the Apostolic Mandate, which contains the Holy Father's appointment of the new bishop.

Father Byron was followed by the concelebrating bishops, archbishops, auxiliary bishops from Philadelphia and bishops of the region. Bishop-designate Burbidge entered the hall, followed by Bishop F. Joseph Gossman, Bishop-Emeritus of Raleigh, Archbishop Gregory, and the four attending cardinals.

Once all gathered, Archbishop Gregory presented a greeting. Bishop Gossman offered a salutation, and the College of Consultors of the Diocese were called forward to inspect the Mandate, which was then be certified by the Diocesan Chancellor, Russell C. Elmayan.

The Mandate was read publicly by Monsignor Krebs. Archbishop Gregory then asked Bishop-designate Burbidge if he accepts the See of Raleigh. The actual moment Bishop Burbidge became the shepherd of the Raleigh diocesan church was when he was led to the cathedra (bishop's chair) by Archbishop Gregory and Bishop Gossman and given his crozier, the bishop's staff. He was then greeted by the entire gathering and a standing ovation. The installation was followed by the celebration of Mass, Bishop Burbidge presiding.

Bishops of Raleigh

The Most Reverend Burbidge is the fifth Bishop of Raleigh since it was founded by Pope Pius XI on December 12, 1924. At that time, the statewide Catholic population was estimated at 6,000. Today, August 2006, the registered Catholic population in the Diocese of Raleigh, which comprises the 54 easternmost counties of North Carolina, is 192,000.

Bishop William J. Hafey, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, was named Raleigh's first bishop and served until he was transferred to the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1937. Bishop Hafey was succeeded by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness of Philadelphia. Bishop Vincent S. Waters was named third bishop in 1945 and served until his death in 1974. Bishop Gossman, who was serving as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, was installed as the Bishop of Raleigh on May 19, 1975.

Bishop Burbidge

A native of Philadelphia, Bishop Burbidge was born June 16, 1957, to Francis and Shirley Burbidge. He attended Catholic schools, graduating from Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, Pennsylvania in 1975. He graduated Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania in 1984, being ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Bishop Burbidge's first two years were spent as parochial vicar at Saint Bernard Church in Philadelphia. From 1986 to 1991, he was assigned to high school teaching and in 1991-1992 served as Dean of Students at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. In 1992, he began a seven year assignment as Special Assistant to Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. In 1999, he was named rector of the seminary, a position he held until 2004.

In 1998, he was named Honorary Prelate to His Holiness Pope John Paul II, with the title of Monsignor. He was named Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop of Cluain Iraird on June 21, 2002, being ordained to the Episcopacy September 5, 2002.

On June 8, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Burbidge the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh; he was installed in Raleigh on Aug. 4, 2006.