MONTEGO BAY, St James — MORE than 3,000 persons from across the length and breadth of Jamaica and many parts of the world, including the USA, Canada, England and the Caribbean, flocked the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Montego Bay on Saturday, to witness the ordination and installation of the Most Reverend Burchell Alexander McPherson as the third Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Montego Bay in its 46-year history.

His predecessor, Archbishop Charles H Dufour, who delivered the homily, in his message highlighted the basic principles of charity, humility, simplicity and holiness.

He drew specific reference to a recent proclamation by His Holiness Pope Francis who cautioned:” We are called to love our flock as Christ did, not lording it over them — a temptation and sometimes a sad reality that exists – but to live a life of charity, laying down our life for the flock, following Jesus the Good Shepherd.”

Archbishop Dufour said the new Bishop knows that “this life of love is a demanding one and it comes to us through the power of Grace.” He noted, however, that based on Rev Mc Pherson’s vast pastoral experience — first as a lay-man, then a deacon and then later a priest — charity and love are inevitable, stressing that “he is eminently qualified to fulfil this role.”

Bishop McPherson in his remarks told the congregation that since he is not perfect, “the Holy Spirit will continue to be fashioned and moulded into the Shepherd that I need to be for the people of God in the Diocese of Montego Bay.”