"Imagine All the People, Cheering As You Leave -- Woo-Hoo...."

Later today, in the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, the papal bull appointing Richard Gerard Lennon as the tenth bishop of Cleveland will be read at the beginning of the Installation Mass.

At the point of the text which, in the traditional formula, reads, "freeing you from all bonds to the church of Boston" is uttered, don't be surprised if bells started going off in Beantown. Or fireworks. Or other Red-Sox-Win-Title-Style revelry.

You get the idea.

And just so you Bostonians can actually see the whole shebang unfold, so that you may believe, three (not one, but three) Cleveland TV stations will be streaming the liturgy live: WKYC, WEWS, and WOIO.

The ceremonies begin at 3pm Eastern.

Despite the legacy Lennon leaves behind him, however, the controversial prelate's new flock is warming to him.

On meeting the bishop after last night's Vespers service of canonical possession (shown above as Lennon was received at the Cathedral door), the Plain-Dealer recorded rave reviews:

"He seems like a real people person," said Jacki Calavitta of Solon.

"I felt like God gave me a hug," said Richard Lackner of Parkman.

"Hopefully, he'll be here for a long time," said Ivette Parra of Bainbridge.

Just in case you didn't get that middle quote, one parishioner said that

"I felt like God gave me a hug"

...on meeting Richard Lennon.

Comments from Boston?


PHOTO: Diocese of Cleveland

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