WHAT A DAY IT WAS IN THE DIOCESE OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA...........

Bruce Hamilton and I arrived in downtown Jose, at 12:30 pm, ninety minutes before the start of the 2 pm Episcopal Ordination in St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica, of my San Francisco seminary classmate and priestly colleague, the Most Reverend Thomas Anthony Daly.  I was seated in the Cathedral in my wheelchair in the area for the priests, just after 1 pm, having had a light lunch after our arrival.  The energy in that edifice was electric, for nearly the hour before the Ordination began, as final preparations were made.  Ten minutes before the start of the festivities, I phoned our Indianapolis classmate, Reverend Father Daniel Barrett Donohoo, who will celebrate his Silver Jubilee a priest, in just ten days, to inform him we were about to begin.  At 1:55 pm, the twenty seven Bishops who were present, entered the side door door across from where I was seated and made their way to the front door and narthex of the basilica, for the entrance procession.  The other Bishops were all wearing their mitres, and at the end of the line Bishop-Designate Daly, wearing only his new magenta colored skull cap.  He was a vivid and vital presence in a white and gold vestment, and his magenta skull cap.  As he walked along the side aisle he enthusiastically greeted his family, friends, parishioners, and Marin Catholic high school students.  A lump formed in my throat and tears began welling up in my eyes, as the celebration began.  Seeing Tom approach the altar to venerate it, sent a surge of adrenaline through me.  And then watching him be escorted to his pre-episcopal seat, by the two priests assisting him, gave me a thrill when I realized those three chairs were ten feet or so in front of the row of priests I  was sitting with.  As +Tom turned to take his chair he saw me, and nodded, and I proudly acknowledged him, as he uttered Troy, I replied, and nodded, Tom.  Later, after he had his head anointed with the sacred chrism oil, and returned to his chair, he said quietly again, "Troy", leaving off his customary follow up words, "old boy !".   It was a wonderful view of the ordination ceremony for me of, the Bishop's Chair-Bench from where the San Jose Ordinary, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath, presided as Principal Ordaining Bishop.  His principal Co-Ordaining Bishops, the Most Reverend George Niedaurauer, Archbishop of San Francisco; and the Most Reverend George L. Thomas, Bishop of Helena; in the presence of His Eminence, Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop-Emeritus of Los  Angeles.  Among other prelates present were Archbishop Emeritus John Raphael Quinn, of San Francisco, who ordained Bishop Tom, both a deacon and a priest; and Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto, and Monterey Bishop Richard Garcia.  More tomorrow on this most memorable, high energy day for me all present at Auxiliary Bishop Daly's Episcopal Ordination...........In The Words Of His Excellency's Motto As A Bishop Of The Church, "Into Your Hands Lord",   Fr.  Troy