TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) It was a historic day for the Diocese of Tucson.
Bishop Edward Weisenburger was installed as the seventh bishop of Tucson and officially began his tenure Wednesday afternoon.
The St. Augustine Cathedral downtown was packed with hundreds of people including 25 bishops and archbishops who traveled from across the country to take part in the tradition.
Bishop Weisenburger now represents roughly 450,000 Catholics within the Diocese of Tucson.
During his first sermon as installed bishop, Bishop Weisenburger thanked Bishop Gerald Kicanas for his years of service. It was an emotional moment as the room stood up in applause.
This mass was invitation only, but there were families outside of the cathedral who showed up because they wanted to support their new bishop.
Mother and daughter Mary Vaughan and Kat Robey got the chance to attend the service. Seeing the priests together and the energy in the room was beautiful, they said.
"A lot of pomp and circumstance," Vaughan said. "But we need that once in awhile."
"The message I think is really what we all needed to hear which is that we all need to love," Robey said. "Love each other but love not just the ones that are easy to love, love the ones that are not so easy to love."
In his remarks the new bishop said the celebration was about much more than just him and it was the beginning of a "holy friendship."
Before arriving in Tucson, Bishop Weisenburger was in Kansas. In previous interviews with KGUN9 he's said immigration will be one of his top concerns here.
