January 6, 2010 // Local

Installation of Bishop Kevin Rhoades Solemn vespers, installation services updated

Todays Catholic

The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend announced Jan. 4 everyone is welcome to attend the special installation services of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades as the ninth bishop of the local diocese to be held in both South Bend and Fort Wayne on Jan. 12 and 13 respectively.

Invited guests who have responded to date that they plan to attend one or both liturgies are being sent tickets for reserved seating. Everyone else is welcome to attend the services on a first come, first served basis, the diocese said.

At St. Matthew Cathedral, 1701 Miami St., South Bend, a solemn vespers service will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Retiring Bishop John M. D’Arcy will preside at the evening prayer and Bishop Rhoades will give the homily. All are welcome to attend a light reception, which will immediately follow the ceremony.

In Fort Wayne, the installation Mass will begin at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Doors open at noon. A reception will follow at the nearby Grand Wayne Center to which all are welcome to attend.

Planning is underway to accommodate an expected overflow crowd in Fort Wayne at the nearby Grand Wayne Center where the installation Mass can be viewed on a large screen.

The installation liturgy will be simulcast live by IndianasNewsCenter, Fort Wayne, on both NBC Channel 33.1 and My TV, digital Channel 33.2. Comcast subscribers can view the telecasts on either Channel 13 or 252 while Verizon FIOS customers can see it on either Channel 4 or Channel 9.

Plans are underway to stream both the installation liturgy and the solemn vespers prayer service on the diocesan Web site www.diocesefwsb.org and possibly on WNDU.com in South Bend.

Also, Redeemer Radio, Catholic Radio 1450 AM, is planning a live broadcast of both the solemn vespers and installation Mass, which can be heard in South Bend on Holy Radio WHLY (1580 AM) and in Fort Wayne on WLYV (1450 AM).

In addition, a two DVD recording set of both the solemn vespers prayer service and the installation Mass will be available for $10 from the Catholic Communications Office, telephone (260) 744-0012. Included with the DVDs will be a commemorative prayer card blessed by Bishop Rhoades.