In late 2009 I had the honor of covering a rare event in the life of a diocese: the installation of a new bishop. The Diocese of Pueblo in Colorado had been under the guidance of Bishop Arthur N. Tafoya for three decades. He was retiring and the pope — Benedict XVI at the time — had appointed a pastor from nearly halfway across the country in Miami, FL to replace him. The pastor accepted it. Within a few months, he would be transplanted from the Sunshine State to the Rocky Mountains to become Bishop Fernando Isern.
This would be a huge move for the Cuban who lived in Miami since age 9 with an affinity for the water. He would be asked to leave all that he had known and worked for to shepherd an entire diocese nowhere near the ocean, but in a sea of purple mountains. Fr. Isern (at the time) had great qualifications to become head of a diocese since he was pastor of the largest parish in the Archdiocese of Miami, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, and possessed plenty of pastoral experience and business savvy with his educational degrees. The move, cultural change, and exponential increase of responsibility must have been a daunting challenge. However, Fr. Isern accepted and was welcomed by the Puebloans on December 10, 2009 as their bishop.
Due to health reasons, he announced that Pope Francis has accepted his resignation, effective today — only four years after taking the chair. In that time he established perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and visited the 53 parishes and 44 missions within his territory spanning the southern half of the state. He urges the people of Pueblo to give his successor the warm welcome they gave him.
Here is a look back on the day Fr. Fernando Isern became Bishop Fernando Isern.
Vespers
The night before the installation, an evening of prayer was held in preparation. Fr. Isern appeared in the red vestments of a bishop and had a meet-and-greet with local politicians and religious leaders. He was also joined by a contingent of friends, family, and parishioners from Miami. That evening, retiring bishop Tafoya blessed Fr. Isern’s crosier, ring, pectoral cross, and mitre.
Bishop-elect Isern’s pontifical insignia, left to right, pectoral cross, bishop’s mitre, and ecclesial ring on display before the altar at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo, CO.A statue of the Sacred Heart adorns high on the wall behind the altar at its namesake cathedral in Pueblo, CO.The cantor encourages the congregation to respond in song.The choir singing vespers accompanied by woodwind and string instruments at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pueblo, CO.Priests singing vespers at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pueblo, CO.Bishop of Pueblo, Arthur N. Tafoya, during his remarks at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pueblo, CO.Bishop-elect Fernando Isern, right, meets with Pueblo’s civil and religious dignitaries.Bishop-elect Fernando Isern makes his remarks regarding his installation as bishop Pueblo.Hilda Isern, 86, is bishop-elect Fernando Isern’s mother.A priest records bishop-elect Fernando Isern’s speech on cellphone.Bishop of Pueblo, Arthur N. Tafoya, blesses the crosier, mitre, ring, and pectoral cross with holy water.Bishop-elect Isern’s crosier depicts ‘the good shepherd’.Left to right, Bishop of Pueblo, Arthur N. Tafoya, exchanges an embrace with his successor, bishop-elect Fernando Isern at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pueblo, CO.Bishop-elect Fernando Isern, center, makes his way across the icy, snowy street to the gymnasium adjacent to the Sacred Heart Cathedral after the vespers. It was approximately -15F.Bishop-elect Fernando Isern, 2nd from left, poses with three priests who have close ties to his former parish, Our Lady of Lourdes in Miami: (left to right) Father Alejandro Rodriguez Artola, Father Richard Vigoa, and Father Luis Largaespada.
The Installation
The next day, nearly 3,000 gathered at the Massari Arena at Colorado State University – Pueblo for the installation of their bishop-elect. Local dignitaries as well as those from the Vatican and other diocese from around the country were in attendance. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput presided over the installation and anointed bishop-elect Isern into the Diocese of Pueblo. From that point onward, he will be known as Bishop Fernando Isern.
An overall view of the ceremony at CSU-Pueblo’s Massari Arena, a 3,900-seat venue.Bishop-elect Fernando Isern, center, processes into the Massari Arena flanked by his ceremonial assistants, Father Richard Mullen, left, and Monsignor Michael Souckar, right.
Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Pietro Sambi. He was the Vatican’s representative and witness to the installation.
Bishop-elect Fernando Isern prostrates himself in humility during the Litany of Saints. Bishop-elect Fernando Isern prostrated before nearly 3,000 people during the Litany of Saints.
Archbishop of Denver, Charles Chaput, lays his hands upon bishop-elect Fernando Isern. He is one of several bishops that do so during the ceremony.Archbishop of Denver, Charles Chaput, anoints bishop-elect Fernando Isern’s head with oil.Fernando Isern is ‘ex cathedra’ and now officially Bishop of Pueblo. Once he is handed his crosier, he is a bishop. Only when he takes his seat does he become officially the bishop of the diocese.
Bishop Isern absorbs the reality of becoming a bishop of a diocese.
Hilda Isern, his mother, is overcome with emotion.Bishop Fernando Isern embraces his mother, Hilda Isern, after she presents him the offertory.
Bishop Fernando Isern celebrating the Eucharist for the first time as a bishop.
