A NIGHT OF WIT AND WARMTH

Bishop O’Connell welcomed to the Cathedral with vespers service

Bishop Mark O’Connell processes to the altar for the vespers prayer service on the eve of his installation on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Albany, N.Y. Cindy Schultz for The Evangelist (Courtesy photo of Cindy Schultz)

Bishop Mark O’Connell’s joyous weekend - filled with happiness, smiles and warmth - actually began on a cold and blustery Thursday night at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

It was the first time that many of the faithful had seen Bishop O’Connell in person as he processed into the Cathedral for the vespers service on Dec. 4, smiling and waving to those in the crowd. He was preceded by servers, deacons, Father Rendell Torres, rector of the Cathedral, and Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger.Bishop Mark O’Connell’s sister Margaret Mary O’Connell gives her brother the thumbs up at the end of the vespers prayer service on the eve of his installation on Dec. 5 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany,. Other family members, in the same pew are (from l.): brothers Tom and John Marion and sister-in-law Ann O’Connell. (Cindy Schultz photos for The Evangelist)

His trademark wit was also on display when during his remarks at the end of the service he talked about the opening hymn “Abide with Me.”

“I had a funny thought as (the prayer service) started and this beautiful choir started to sing “Abide with Me.” I said to myself, ‘Oh, this is one of my favorites.’ Then I realized I picked it,” Bishop O’Connell said, drawing laughter from the crowd. “I Just love that song, the words of it and the cadence of it. What a beautiful way to start.”

But then he turned to the faithful in a more serious tone and asked for their prayers.

“What this tradition is, the vespers, the evening prayer prior to the installation, what it is, is a recognition that I can do nothing without you and your prayers,” he said. “Whatever brought you here tonight, could you be my prayer partner? Could you pray me through this? I am so grateful for your presence tonight and I beg you for your prayers because I can be nothing with you.”

Retired Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes delivers the homily. 

Retired Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, from the Archdiocese of New Orleans and who served as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Boston from 1981-1993, delivered the homily which dealt with the themes of hope, redemption and mission during this Advent season.

“Tonight I propose in a moment for renewed hope … God has already been faithful to his promise in the gift (of) Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, who’s kept his eyes on the kingdom, while promoting healing in the face of scandal and stability in the face of bankruptcy. He has lived well his motto, ‘Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,’” Archbishop Hughes said. “The Lord is now continuing to be faithful to his promise in the gift of Bishop Mark O’Connell. Not only to continue healing and stability, but to offer renewed hope for the movement from maintenance to mission in this local church. 

“Bishop Mark’s motto, found here in this local church ‘Invenimus Messiam’ (‘We have found the Messiah’) draws focus to the mandate of mission after encountering the Lord, as Messiah and then Lord.”

The 93-year-old archbishop added: “I’ve known Mark O’Connell since he was a teenager. I can testify that he is a man of competence, undaunted by pastoral challenges. He has a shepherd’s heart. He’s an adult who will treat everyone else as adults and expects to be treated as an adult. He’s unafraid of hard pastoral work but brings to it also a delightful sense of humor. Above all he’s a man of hope.”

He then added, “If you want to know his hidden weaknesses, you’ll have to corner me privately, when he’s not eavesdropping,” which elicited smiles and more laughter from the faithful. 

Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger talks about Bishop O'Connell during the service.

Bishop Scharfenberger also spoke briefly about his successor, who after vespers came back out into the Cathedral to meet and talk with the faithful.

“Tonight it is my privilege and my joy and my honor to be able to introduce to you Bishop Mark O’Connell. He’s made my job extremely easy by just being the presence that he is. I think it’s obvious, his joy and the smile on his face,” Bishop Scharfenberger said. “He said it on his first day … ‘I’ve always wanted to be a happy priest and I’ve always been a happy priest.’ When he was ordained bishop he said, ‘And I just want to be a happy bishop,’ and I can see that he wants nothing more than to be the happiest bishop Albany has ever known.”