THE new Bishop-in-Ordin ary to H.M. Forces, Mgr. Gerard Tickle, was consecrated Titular Bishop of Bela on Saturday last. The ceremony took place in the English College, Rome, where the new Bishop was a student, then vice-rector, and, since 1952, rector.
The Consecrator was the Scottish Cardinal Heard, assisted by Archbishop Heenan of Westminster, and Bishop Grasar. of Shrewsbury, to whose diocese Mgr. Tickle formerly belonged.
The new Apostolic Delegate to Great Britain. Archbishop Cardinale. was present at the ceremony, together with the British Minister to the Holy See, Sir Peter Scarlett. Lady Scarleti. and members of the British Minister's staff,
A number of English bishops. in Rome for the Vatican Council, attended the consecration, as well as the rectors of the Scottish, Irish and Beda Colleges, and Bishop Guilty of Georgetown, British Guiana.
Mgr. George Pitt, Vicar-General for the Royal Navy. and Mgr. John O'Mahoney, Vicar-General for the Army. flew out from England for the ceremony.
Mgr. Tickle, who is 54, succeeds Archbishop Mathew, who resigned recently after nine years as Bishopin-Ordinary because of ill-health. He hopes to take up residence in the U.K. early in the New Year, and meanwhile, he is to visit Cyprus and Malta.