Blessed by the Brand New Bishop

Friday night I decided to head out to Notre Dame just to watch the lights go on. I love watching the city lights as the sun sets. There is that magical point where the lights of the city and the light of the setting sun equal in luminosity. At that moment it feels like time has stopped. This moment makes me smile and count my blessings. This night was especially nice with a beautiful sunset. It was seredipidy that I had picked this night. It also was the night that two new auxiliary Bishops of Paris were being ordained at Notre Dame. There were Monseigneur Eric de Moulins-Beaufort and Monseigneur Renauld de Dinechin. As I arrived at Notre Dame, I had run into some security and barricades but thought it was preparation for the Pope's visit next Friday, Sept. 12th. I had no idea that this event was occurring. The angelic choir accompanied by Phantom of the Opera meets new age organ music flooded the outside courtyard making this moment truly mystical.

From the back of the courtyard I spotted light spilling out from the monstrous doors. These doors are not normally open. I approached the doors and at the gate I easily peered inside to watch the mass. Inside there were T.V. screens on the pillars so all could see, 12 men in red chasubles near the gold alter and the congregation all dressed up. If I had thought to bring a radio, I could have listened to the mass on the Notre Dame radio station. The bells started ringing and a parade of grey and black clothed nuns,
priests in white robes wearing red or rainbow stoles and Bishops with red chasubles and diamond studded or embroidered mitre's strolled through the doors. There was clapping and cheering as the two new Bishops emerged from church with crosiers in hand and mitre's on their heads. Everyone gathered around to receive a blessing including me! I was blessed by the new Bishop without a beard in the pictures below.

It was a picture worth a thousand words as nuns with smiles cheek to cheek looked up to the new bishop, kissed him and then were blessed. Oh, to have been a little angel to fly up above and snap a photo of that moment. It would have spoken for me.