May 1, 2008 / 02:33 am
Bishop Earl Boyea was installed as bishop of the Diocese of Lansing on Tuesday in a Mass attended by the papal nuncio, a cardinal, 24 bishops, and more than 100 priests.
The Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper relates that Bishop Boyea paid tribute to his fellow priests in Detroit, where he was formerly an auxiliary bishop and before that a priest. He told the congregation that because of his close friendships in Detroit, his new position “leaves me feeling a bit bereft. We are bound to one another.”
Turning to his new flock, Bishop Boyea said, “Now I will have new brothers. Count on me as your brother and father in life.”
The new Bishop of Lansing addressed his retiring predecessor, Bishop Carl F. Mengeling. “A special thanks for 12 years. You will always be in our hearts,” he said, after which those in attendance gave a standing ovation.