Seattle’s New Archbishop Formally Installed Ceremony At St. James Cathedral Includes Some Medieval Symbolism

Archbishop Alex J. Brunett was installed as spiritual leader for Western Washington’s Catholics in formal ceremonies Thursday afternoon at St. James Cathedral.

The pope’s envoy, Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, walked with the new leader to the special archbishop’s chair known as the cathedra, which has been vacant since the death of Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy in June.

Cacciavillan also presented Brunett with a historic pastoral staff, an ornate crosier originally used by Bishop A.M.A. Blanchet, the diocese’s first bishop, in the 1850s.

The ceremony included some medieval symbolism, as when a leading priest, the Rev. George Thomas, displayed to priests and faithful the letter from Pope John Paul II appointing Brunett.

In a departure from tradition, a procession of priests, bishops and cardinals entering the cathedral through one door was countered by a colorful group of men and women in ethnic costumes, who entered through the opposite door carrying 26 banners representing the different languages spoken in the region.

Brunett - Seattle’s fourth archbishop and eighth bishop - then celebrated Mass.

A native of Detroit and former bishop of Helena, Mont., the 63-year-old Brunett was appointed in October. He is the third Montana bishop in a row promoted to the Seattle post governing about 372,000 Roman Catholics.

Two cardinals - Roger Mahony of Los Angeles and Adam Maida of Detroit - attended his installation along with about 45 bishops from around the country and many priests.

Hundreds of interfaith leaders and others gathered Wednesday night for ceremonies to welcome Brunett, who is known as a promoter of religious unity.

Native American women elders laid down cedar boughs in his path as he was escorted into the cathedral. In the first few minutes of his talk, Brunett asked forgiveness for the church’s offenses against Native Americans.

He spoke words of greeting to Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Methodists, among others. Brunett called interfaith dialogue “not political politeness” but a response to Jesus Christ’s prayer “that all be one.”

Parishes of Western Washington will welcome Brunett in at least 12 far-flung ceremonies starting in January.

The second of 14 children, Brunett was educated in Grosse Point Park and Detroit and graduated from Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. He earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University at the North American College in Rome, and also holds a master’s degree in education and a doctorate of philosophy in ecumenical studies.

Ordained in Rome in 1958, he worked in several parishes and as a chaplain for universities before being sent to Helena, where he led about 66,000 Catholics in roughly the western third of Montana.

Murphy succeeded Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen, who was bishop of Helena until 1975. Hunthausen disturbed the Vatican during his Seattle tenure with liberal policies on marriage annulment, homosexuality and other issues.

When the pope removed part of his powers, thousands of U.S. Catholics participated in an uproar that led ultimately to the appointment of Murphy as coadjutor, or assistant. Murphy took over when Hunthausen retired in 1991.