It is providential that the installation Mass for our new bishop of the Diocese of Rochester will take place on Feast of Saint Joseph, March 19, 2026. St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and protector of the Holy Family, has long been honored by the Church as a model of faithful leadership, humble service, and spiritual fatherhood. His quiet strength, courage, and obedience to God make him a fitting patron as our diocese welcomes a new shepherd.
Let us join together in praying a nine-day novena leading up to the installation on March 19, asking the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen our new shepherd. Pray the novena prayer each day beginning on Tuesday, March 10, for Bishop John Bonnici, that through the grace of his episcopal ministry he will be, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “the model for his flock,” and that he will “guide and defend his Church with strength and prudence as a father and pastor, with gratuitous love for all and a preferential love for the poor, the sick, and the needy” (CCC 1586).
We also entrust our bishop to the intercession of St. Joseph, that he may lead with the same humility, fidelity, and courage shown by the guardian of the Holy Family.
Please continue to pray not only during this novena but throughout the years ahead. The ordained leaders of our Church stand in constant need of our prayers, that they may faithfully serve Christ and His people each day.