Farm boy becomes shepherd of a different flock

As a Southland farm boy, Michael Dooley used to stand, shepherd's crook in hand, watching his father's flock.

Last night, there was not a Swanndri or a pair of gumboots in sight, but Bishop Michael Dooley once more watched over his Father's flock.

On stage in the Dunedin Town Hall, newly ordained as Catholic Bishop of Dunedin and with a staff replacing the crook, Bishop Dooley told the 1000-strong congregation he felt a long way away from Heddon Bush.

"When I left school I did an apprenticeship in engineering ... so entering a seminary wasn't something that was expected.

"I had trust that that was God's will for me."

Ordained in 1989, Bishop Dooley has been a parish priest in Otago and Southland, and served an eight-year term as chaplain of Kavanagh College.

For the past 18 months, he has been vicar-general to Bishop Colin Campbell, who last night wished his successor well as he moved on to become Bishop Emeritus of Dunedin.

Bishop Campbell was principal celebrant at last night's ordination, with assistance from Cardinal John Dew and Archbishop Martin Krebs, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to New Zealand and Fiji.

As well as a combined choir, choristers from the Samoan, Tongan and Filipino communities sang.

Children from St Mary's School Mosgiel and St Peter Chanel School Green Island also performed.

Bishop Dooley is the seventh man to be ordained Bishop of Dunedin, and said he was thankful his predecessor would still be around to aid him.

The new role had given him some sleepless nights, including much debate over what motto to put on his new coat of arms, Bishop Dooley said.

"It was a source of great anxiety to me, but one night I woke up, got up, and I wrote it down: `Trust In God'," he said.

"That has been a theme of my life, and it will be as I take on the privilege of leading this diocese in the shepherding role as bishop."