150th Anniversary of the Hamilton Diocese

Dear People of Hamilton Diocese,

The year 2006 is a time of special celebration in the Diocese of Hamilton, our 150th Anniversary. In June, 1854 the Bishops of Upper and Lower Canada petitioned Rome, asking that for the better spiritual care of the people, two new dioceses in London and Hamilton be separated from the Diocese of Toronto. On February 29, 1856 Pope Pius IX agreed to this request. The new Diocese of Hamilton was formed comprising all the present area of Hamilton Diocese plus Manitoulin Island, Sault Ste. Marie and northern areas of the province to the boundaries of St. Boniface Diocese, which is in Manitoba. The first Bishop of the new Diocese of Hamilton was the Right Reverend John Farrell, who was installed as the Bishop on May 24, 1856 in the City of Hamilton’s only Church, St. Mary’s, which he designated as his Cathedral. Bishop Farrell chose as the patroness of Hamilton Diocese, the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Annunciation and entrusted the Diocese to her prayerful care. To provide for the needs of the 20,000 Catholics in the vast territory that comprised the Diocese Bishop Farrell had available eight priests, four of whom were Jesuits, and at least three Sisters of St. Joseph.

The oldest parish in our Diocese is St. Augustine’s in Dundas. In that parish, as in all new parishes, even to this day, the desire of the Catholics for Mass and the Eucharist is the reason why the parish came into existence. Often in the early days Mass would be celebrated in someone’s home by a priest who would travel a long distance to get there. Mass would be celebrated infrequently. Gradually as priests became available, the bishop would accede to the requests of the people and a parish would be founded where Mass could
be celebrated regularly. The establishment of a new parish was always in response to the peoples’ desire for the Eucharist. For this reason I have decided to dedicate this anniversary year to our Lord in the Eucharist. This will be the theme throughout our year of celebration.

The Eucharistic Liturgy is the source and center of our spiritual life. The Eucharist is at once a meal, a re-presentation of the sacrifice offered once for all on Golgatha, and a promise of future glory.

“All these dimensions of the Eucharist come together in one aspect which more than any other makes a demand on our faith: the mystery of the real presence. With the entire tradition of the Church, we believe that Jesus is truly present under the Eucharistic species. --- The Eucharist is a mystery of presence, the perfect fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to remain with us until the end of the world.” 1

Hamilton Diocese is founded on and shaped by the great faith of all its people. The great faith of its early inhabitants, some of whom were native people and most of whom were immigrants from other lands; the great faith of the clergy, religious women and men who served the Church with such dedication. The great faith of leaders in the Church, clergy, religious and lay who built our parish churches and who brought and continue to bring the love and care of the Lord into the areas of caring for the sick, education and providing for the orphan. Throughout our history these people of faith have practiced the corporal works of mercy, caring for the needy, housing the homeless, assisting seniors, working with youth, counseling the troubled and burying the dead. Fortified by the Eucharistic presence of Christ they carry the love of the Lord into the everyday world.

Our anniversary year will begin with the new Liturgical Year on the First Sunday of Advent and end on the Feast of Christ the King 2006. There will be a diocesan gathering in June, as well as deanery celebrations in each deanery at other times. We hope to have anniversary Masses with the schools in each parish. An anniversary prayer card will be distributed in all our parishes in the many languages of the Diocese. We hope you will use this prayer daily. I encourage every parish and every person in our Diocese to make this anniversary year a time of intensifying your love for the Eucharist through prayer, adoration and reception of our Lord in Holy Communion.

Anniversaries relish the past, celebrate the present and look forward to the years ahead. Anniversaries are times of thanksgiving. We thank God for the great gift of His Son as our Saviour and His continuing Eucharistic presence with us. We are grateful that the faith of our people has been the solid foundation of the past, the strength of the present with its challenges and the basis for hope in the future.

Hamilton Diocese has grown to become the second largest English-speaking Diocese in Canada, with a Catholic population of 560,000, and the fourth largest in the entire country. Congratulations to every member of this Diocese. May God continue to bless Hamilton Diocese for many years into the future with the great faith that is our hallmark.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

BISHOP OF HAMILTON