New Bishop of Ottawa Consecrated
Ottawa—May 31, 2020 Shane Parker, who served as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral since 1999, was consecrated as the 10th Bishop of Ottawa on Pentecost Sunday, May 31. Due to the COVID-19 health restrictions, the service at the Cathedral was limited to the few people participating in the service observing physical distancing rules, but clergy and lay people from across the diocese and Canada were able to view the service via a webcast on Facebook and YouTube, sending their prayers and well-wishes in comments during and after the service.
Archbishop Anne Germond, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, delivered the homily for the Pentecost service with Bishop Michael Oulton of the Diocese of Ontario and Bishop John Baycroft, the 7th Bishop of Ottawa, assisting her in presiding over the Eucharist and Consecration.
Germond opened the service by reading a letter from retiring Bishop John Chapman, who wrote: “Shane, you have been my brother in Christ and partner in ministry for many years. Whilst I wish that the days of this virus, COVID-19, were past, and we could all be present with you for this wonderful and sacred day,” but he offered his blessing and a prayer for Bishop Parker’s apostolic ministry.