Archbishop Augustine Di Noia was ordained an archbishop July 11 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

The Dominican’s priest’s elevation to the episcopate was cause for major celebration among his legions of friends in the United States and at the Vatican, where he has worked since 2002 as a senior official in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith prior to his appointment last month by Pope Benedict XVI as the new secretary of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Reported Catholic News Service:

An estimated 2,500 people turned up to witness the ordination of the new secretary of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, which oversees matters concerning the liturgy and sacraments. The crowd was the biggest William Wooten has seen at an ordination in his 12 years as basilica security director.

Concelebrants included three cardinals, two ordaining bishops, 14 bishops and 148 priests.

In his concluding remarks at the ordination ceremony, Archbishop Di Noia said, “My brothers and sisters in Christ, there’s an understandable temptation at the end of a glorious celebration like this one to congratulate ourselves. But it is to God that the glory belongs.

“To God, who has blessed the Church with Pope Benedict XVI, successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ on earth. May this feast of his patron, St. Benedict, give him grace and the joy that comes from serving Christ faithfully.

“To God, who today has blessed us in a special way with the apostolic ministry of Cardinal Levada, Archbishop Wuerl, Archbishop Kelly and the other bishops present. May Christ, the Good Shepherd sustain them in their service to the Church.

“To God, who has so abundantly blessed the Church through the Dominican order. May the order of preachers under the mantle of the Mother of God continue to flourish in fraternal love purified in obedience to the truth.

“To God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be glory now and forever more.”