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	Dunn Installed As Bishop of Antigonish By Mary Ellen MacIntyre Chronicle-Herald January 25, 2010 http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9014963.html ANTIGONISH — A simple ceremony Monday marked the installation of Bishop Brian Dunn as the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Antigonish. In an age-old tradition, Bishop Dunn knocked three times on the door of St. Ninian's Cathedral to claim his see. The Papal Bull declaring him head of the diocese was read, he was handed his bishop's staff and he was led to the bishop's chair. But Bishop Dunn opted not to include much of the pageantry often attached to such events. "Simple and yet deeply faithful," he said afterward in describing the ceremony. Bishop Dunn is inheriting a diocese rocked by scandal, and he is painfully aware of it. The recent charge of possession of child pornography filed against his predecessor, Bishop Raymond Lahey, seemed to weigh heavily on Bishop Dunn's mind. "We gather today as a family of faith experiencing a tragedy," he said during his homily in the cathedral. "The recent resignation of Bishop Lahey in the midst of the charges of possession of child pornography has created a scar on this diocese and on the whole church. "These charges take on further significance since Bishop Lahey was in the process of negotiating and implementing a legal settlement for survivors of child sexual abuse by priests in the diocese. "The whole situation has rocked the foundations of our faith and has immersed us in an atmosphere of distrust, suspicion and second-guessing." Bishop Dunn did not pull any punches. He said he believes he has a lot of work ahead of him and must help with healing and reconciliation among parishioners. He admitted he was filled with more than a little trepidation when he was appointed to the position, especially in light of recent events in the diocese. "I was petrified a couple of weeks ago," he said, smiling. But after the ceremony, Bishop Dunn said he felt welcome in the diocese and plans to visit various parishes in the coming weeks. Bishop Dunn, born in St. John's, N.L., was most recently an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Contact: mmacintyre@herald.ca
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