Perth, a clean and vital, medium-sized city on the south-western coast of Australia, went about its normal Sunday activities on October 4 of this year. At the Church of St. John, 2 kilometres north of the city, however, this was by no means a normal Sunday. The previous day interstate visitors had joined with the large and already well-prepared sanctuary team to work through the ceremony of Consecration of a Bishop. The Rev. John van der Ley (SE Queensland), one of our most experienced priests, made a fine Master of Ceremonies, directing both the Saturday practice and the Sunday Consecration with timely precision. It was thus within the Octave of the festival of St. Michael & All Angels, that 101 people crowded into the church to witness and to participate in the grand and ancient rite. The Protocol of Election and Mandate for Consecration, read by Rev. Ivor Vivian (Canberra), was heard clearly by all present and Bishop Elect James White was duly consecrated to the Episcopate. Five years after the still acutely felt loss of Bishop William Hill, Diocesan Bishop for 39 years, Perth has once more a resident bishop.

It was a profound privilege to act as Principal Consecrator - and I am grateful to the Presiding Bishop for the opportunity to do so. Bishops Graham Preston (Brisbane) and Allan Bradley (Sydney) gave splendid support so that the ceremony moved smoothly to its climax. The superb music was provided by Larraine Wroth, one of Bishop William's daughters. Altogether a grand occasion. I have to accept responsibility for one minor variation from the ritual: Bishop James' three-year-old grandson, seeing granddad enthroned, earolled an enthusiastic greeting. Following a whispered prompt, James responded with a cheery wave which, captured on film, is a pleasing reminder of the day.