Bishop-elect Julia E. Whitworth
Join us for the ordination and consecration of
the Rev. Julia E. Whitworth
as our diocese's 17th bishop diocesan!
The service will take place on
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at 11 a.m.
Doors open for general seating at 9:30 a.m.
The procession begins at 10:30 a.m.
Trinity Church in Boston
206 Clarendon Street
Chief Consecrator: The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry,
Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church
Clergy: Red stoles
Reception to follow the service.
Register to attend
General seating: In-person seating at Trinity Church is now at capacity. Those who have not pre-registered for general seating, we invite you to join us online via the livestream that will be available or by joining a watch party at one of the seven church host sites around our diocese. Watch party details below!
Diocesan clergy and procession participants: Questions about registration for clergy and procession participants may be directed to Laura Simons at lsimons@diomass.org.
Join a watch party
Those who would like to watch the consecration livestream with others are invited to attend a Consecration Watch Party at one of the following gracious host sites. You are welcome to attend at any of the locations, regardless of deanery or region.
Doors at all the watch party locations will open at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. The liturgical procession begins at 10:30 a.m. and the service at 11:00 a.m.
Southern Region
- Trinity Church (3 Goddard Avenue) in Rockland (South Shore Deanery)
Location-specific questions in advance, please contact:
The Rev. Sarah Brockmann (imabiah@yahoo.com or 781-871-0096)
Location-specific questions on the day of the event, please contact:
Ken Arsenault (ken@kenbook.org)
- St. David's Church (205 Old Main Street) in South Yarmouth (Cape and Islands Deanery)
Location-specific questions, please contact:
Robin Ward (508-737-2322)
- Trinity Church (47 East Street) in Wrentham (Taunton River Deanery)
Location-specific questions, please contact:
The Rev. Lauren Lukason (priest.stmarkfoxborough@gmail.com)
Central Region
- Church of the Redeemer (379 Hammond Street) in Chestnut Hill (Charles River Deanery)
Location-specific questions in advance, please contact:
Barbara MacDonald, Parish Administrator (office@redeemerchestnuthill.org)
Location-specific questions on the day of the event, please contact:
Carolyn Ross (781-366-5969)
Northern and Western Region
- Christ Church (33 Central Street) in Andover (Merrimack Valley Deanery)
Location-specific questions in advance, please contact:
The Rev. Michael Hodges (mhodges@christchurchandover.org)
Location-specific questions on the day of the event, please contact:
Liz Fortino (978-397-8437)
- St. Elizabeth's Church (1 Morse Road) in Sudbury (Concord River Deanery)
Location-specific questions in advance, please contact:
Parish Office (office@st-elizabeths.org)
Location-specific questions on the day of the event, please contact:
Stuart Hamilton and Georgie Johnson (Wardens@st-elizabeths.org)
- St. Paul's Church (127 Summer Street) in Lynnfield (Mystic Valley Deanery)
Location-specific questions, please contact:
The Rev. Robert Bacon (rbacon@stpaulslynnfield.org)
Sign-up is not required to attend a watch party, but it will be appreciated by our hosts as they plan for seating and hospitality.
Giving opportunities
Gifts for the bishop-elect: There are a number of gifts of ordination that still would benefit from generous sponsorship. The Consecration Committee invites online giving for this purpose via this link. Please choose "Gifts for the Bishop-Elect" in the "Designation" field.
Consecration offering: The offering at the consecration liturgy on Oct. 19 is designated for support of clergy families of the diocese, as well as Epiphany School and Esperanza Academy, tuition-free schools in the diocese. Online gifts can be made via this link. Please choose "Bishop's Consecration Offering" in the "Designation" field.
Your generosity is gratefully appreciated.
Evensong with Seating of Our New Bishop on Sunday, Oct. 20
Our new bishop will be seated at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston on
Sunday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. All are welcome! The service will be livestreamed on the cathedral's YouTube page.
Questions?
Please see the FAQs below for additional information. Other questions may be directed to the Consecration Committee at consecration@mabishopsearch.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the ordination and consecration service take place?
It will be held at Trinity Church in the City of Boston (206 Clarendon Street, Boston MA 02116). Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. for general seating. The procession begins at 10:30 a.m. The service begins at 11 a.m.
Is attendance at the service open to all?
Yes! The service is an occasion of joy for the whole church, and all are welcome to attend, either in person, virtually at home or as part of a regional watch party. General seating will be limited and available as capacity allows, with advance registration required.
Will the service be livestreamed?
Yes. Further details on how to connect will be available on the diocesan website at www.diomass.org/consecration. Regional watch parties are also being planned. See details above.
Why was Trinity Church in the City of Boston chosen for the consecration liturgy?
Returning the consecration liturgy to a parish church of the diocese was a desire from the beginning of the planning process. As Trinity Church is the largest parish church in terms of seating and it represents a central location, it was chosen, and warmly agreed upon, as our location for the consecration liturgy.
Who will preach and preside at the service?
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, will be the chief consecrator. Chief co-consecrators will be the Rt. Rev. Jennifer L. Baskerville-Burrows and the Rt. Rev. Matthew F. Heyd. The Rev. Winnie Varghese will preach. The newly ordained bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts, the Rev. Julia E. Whitworth, will preside at the Eucharist.
How do I get there? Where do I park?
Find public transportation and driving directions here.
There is limited street parking in the neighborhood.
Parking at the 500 Boylston Street Garage will be available. The discounted rates below apply:
- Monday-Friday (after 5 p.m.): $8 • 11 hrs
- Weekends: $10 • hrs
These rates are available with a "chaser ticket" from the front desk of the Parish House (entrance at 206 Clarendon Street). This ticket is inserted into a machine along with the parking ticket you receive upon entering the garage. Entrances to the garage are located on Clarendon Street and St. James Avenue. Additionally you can find and print the barcode that is used on the 500 Boylston Parking Garage website for the discount. Please look to the top of the page in red; click on it and it will take you to the barcode, either on your mobile device or print it at home.
There is also a small supply of vouchered parking tickets for the parking garage at 100 Clarendon Street. These can be used for Trinity events on Saturdays and Sundays and cover up to three hours of parking for $10. After three hours, regular rates apply.
What should I wear?
Wear what you'd normally wear to a service at your church. Clergy who intend to vest and process should wear a red stole. Attending bishops should wear rochet, chimere and tippet. Chief co-consecrating bishops and co-consecrating bishops should wear red copes and miters.
How long will the service last?
The service is expected to last approximately two-and-one-half hours, with a reception following.
Are children welcome?
Children belong in church! All ages are invited and welcome to attend.
Will there be child care?
Child care will be provided for the children of clergy and lay participants in the liturgical procession only. That child care will be located in the Parish House of Trinity Church at 206 Clarendon Street.
I am participating in the liturgical procession. Where should I go when I arrive on Oct. 19?
If you are participating in the liturgical procession as a member of the clergy or a lay member of a diocesan leadership body, please arrive at the Copley Square entrance no later than 10 a.m. Signs directing you to particular gathering places will direct you to your "waiting zone." The procession begins at 10:30 a.m.
Diocesan clergy and procession participants: Please register via the form sent by e-mail. Questions about registration for clergy and procession participants may be directed to Laura Simons at lsimons@diomass.org.
Are volunteers needed for the service?
Thanks to more than 100 members of the diocesan community who have already volunteered, we are ready to meet the moment. No additional volunteers are needed at this time.
Are there opportunities to contribute to the gifts of ordination for the bishop-elect?
There are a number of gifts of ordination that still would benefit from generous sponsorship by members of the diocese, family, friends and others across the country. The Consecration Committee invites online giving for this purpose via this link. Please choose "Gifts for the Bishop-Elect" in the "Designation" field. The same link can be used to make an online contribution to the consecration service offering, designated for support of clergy families in the diocese, as well as Epiphany School and Esperanza Academy, tuition-free schools in the diocese. Please choose "Bishop's Consecration Offering" in the "Designation" field.
When will our new bishop be seated at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul?
When the ordination and consecration of the bishop do not take place at the cathedral of the diocese, it is customary for the bishop to be formally seated there in a separate service. This special rite of seating will take place during an Evensong service on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street, Boston MA 02111), with a reception to follow. All are welcome! RSVP requested here.
The provision of child care at the Oct. 20 service will be determined based on need. If you would like to inquire about child care for this service, please indicate when you RSVP using the link above.