Bishop Wright is Laid to Rest at Holy Redeemer Cathedral
At eight o’clock this morning, the remains of Bishop Dorick Wright were removed from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for its final farewell. The seventy-four-year-old bishop died last week and because of the coronavirus disease, his funeral took a different form, which included a mobile procession that ended at Holy Redeemer Cathedral where he was laid to rest. In compliance with the state of emergency, only a few members were physically present for his internment. Here is News Five’s Isani Cayetano with a report.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A procession of vehicles led by a hearse made its way through Belize City this morning, passing in front of five Catholic churches before culminating at Holy Redeemer Cathedral. At St. Ignatius, the atmosphere was funereal as one parishioner strummed a guitar while reciting the lyrics of How Great Thou Art. In reverence, a small group of mourners stood on the sidewalk as the motorcade drove by.
The funeral of a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy soon followed. Bishop Emeritus Dorick Wright was laid to rest at Holy Redeemer Cathedral today, the same place where he was ordained forty-five years ago.
Dorick Wright
Bishop Lawrence Nicascio
“Our brother, Bishop Wright readied himself everyday to die. “I want to go home.” But for this day to happen, it had to happen on God’s time and according to God’s way. His motto and shield declares, and I quote, it says, “May all begin and end in Christ.”
Born Dorick McGowan Wright, he grew up in the Holy Redeemer Cathedral Parish in what was then British Honduras. His first cousin is Anglican Bishop Philip Wright, a fellow member of the Belize Council of Churches.
Philip Wright
Bishop Philip Wright
“The member churches and organizations of the Belize Council of Churches, along with other churches, the wider Christian community here in Belize and my own Anglican colleagues and parishioners are included in this list of those expressing their appreciation for the faithful witness and ministry of Bishop Wright.”
On April 4th, 2002, Wright was consecrated at St. John’s College as Auxiliary to the late Bishop O.P. Martin. He was appointed bishop of the diocese four years later and installed by Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto on January 23rd, 2007.
Lawrence Nicascio
Bishop Lawrence Nicascio
“Expression of condolences come in from all over the world to us, to our church. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, through his secretary of state expressed his sadness over the passing of Bishop Dorick Wright. The nuncio in Trinidad sent his condolences. We have secretaries of nuncios in the past who are now in the Philippines and they also remember Bishop Wright and they send condolences.”
Bishop Wright’s interment, like the preceding Memorial Mass, given the time of his death amid the COVID-19 crisis, was only witnessed by a handful of mourners. Despite being a former senator, the traditional pomp and circumstance by representatives of government was noticeably missing from the ceremony. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
