Roman Catholic Bishop the Most Rev. Robert Kurtz was ordained and enthroned with thunderous applause during a ceremony held last night at Saint Theresa's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Hamilton.

The ceremony marked the first time a Roman Catholic Bishop has been ordained on the Island.

Close to 500 members of Bermuda's Catholic community converged on the Cathedral to welcome the new Bishop who replaced Roman Catholic Bishop the Most Rev. Brian Hennessy who officially retired 18 months ago.

Amongst the congregation were Governor Lord Waddington and Lady Waddington and the new Premier, the Hon. David Saul and Mrs. Christine Saul.

During the ceremony Bishop Hennessy joked that "only the good die young so I guess I have some years left'' but said he "was looking forward to some spiritual refreshment'' now that he was retired.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II named American-born Bishop Kurtz as Bishop of Hamilton in Bermuda on June 1, 1995.

The rites in last night's ceremony were conducted by Archbishop Eugenio Sbarbaro.