Scottish Catholic Observer

During Mass to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany this morning, Pope Benedict XVI conferred Episcopal ordination as archbishop upon Mgr Charles Brown, who was recently appointed Papal nuncio to Ireland.

The nuncio to Ireland (above), a native of New York, became an archbishop at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome this morning alongside Mgr Marek Solczyński of Cracow Archdiocese, who was recently appointed Papal nuncio to Georgia and Armenia.

Pope Benedict was assisted by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, and Cardinal William Levada, cardinal prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Archbishop Brown has been attached to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome since 1994. He was appointed chaplain to the Holy Father in May 2000 and then as assistant secretary to the International Theological Commission in September 2009.

He was appointed Papal nuncio to Ireland by the Holy Father in November last year.

Speaking in his homily this morning, Pope Benedict noted that the Epiphany is ‘a feast of light’ and that ‘the great star that leads us on, is Christ Himself.’

Referring to the Episcopal ordinations of Archbishops Brown and Solczyński, the Holy Father said: “I will consecrate them as shepherds of God’s people.”

Recalling the story of the three Magi, the Holy Father said to the newly appointed archbishops: “You followed the star Jesus Christ when you said ‘yes’ to the priesthood and to the episcopacy. And no doubt smaller stars have enlightened and helped you not to lose your way. In the litany of saints we call upon all these stars of God, that they may continue to shine upon you and show you the path.”

—Holy Father’s Epiphany homily in full here.

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