Twenty-nine Catholic bishops processed solemnly into St. Catherine of Sienna Cathedral on Thursday afternoon and, following a three-hour, elaborate ceremony, 30 left.

The Most Rev. Alfred M. Schlert was ordained and installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, where he had served as vicar general since 1989.During his address to the congregation at the end of the ceremony, attended by nearly 700 people, including 29 bishops and 175 priests from Allentown and other dioceses, Schlert spoke of the need for more priests and religious."I composed a little mission statement when I became pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish in Hellertown in 2008. It called the parish to be a 'Roman Catholic family of faith, centered on the Eucharist, faithful to the Church's teachings, bringing the light of Christ to each other and to our community.' We cannot be centered in the Holy Eucharist without the priesthood," he said."I invite my brother priests to help me create a culture of vocations in the diocese. We will need to be assisted by our deacons, religious women and men, our seminarians, and in a very generous way, by parents who will be willing to encourage and support a vocation to the priesthood and religious life - even from among their own sons and daughters."Fostering a culture of vocations is the work of every parishioner, teacher, catechist and coach throughout our diocese.''The Most Rev. Charles Chaput, metropolitan archbishop of Philadelphia, presided over the ordination and installation ceremony, which took place in the middle of the Mass following the reading of the Gospel.The Most Rev. Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, attended representing Pope Francis.Pierre read a letter from the pope mandating the appointment of Schlert, which Schlert presented to the bishops, priests and laity in the congregation.After prostrating himself before the altar while the Litany of the Saints was chanted, Schlert knelt before Chaput who placed his hands on his head, conveying the sacrament which, in Catholic teaching, leaves a permanent mark on the bishop's soul.The granting of authority by laying on of hands, recorded in the New Testament, has been observed by the Catholic church for 19 centuries.The Most Rev. John Barres, recently appointed bishop of Rockville Center, New York, whom Schlert succeeds, and retired bishop of Allentown Edward Cullen, were co-consecrators, followed Chaput, and the rest of the bishops after them.Among various public officials, Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr., past grand Knight of Columbus, district deputy and other offices, described his experience with dealing with the new bishop in his former role."He's truly a leader for the people. He always had respect for anyone he's come in contact with. As vicar general, he had to deal with many decisions, some of them tough, and you can always tell he based his decision on faith and what was best for the people," he said.