By Gretchen Keiser

Monsignor Edward J. Dillon was formally invested as a Prelate of Honor to the pope in a ceremony at his parish, Holy Spirit in Atlanta, Aug. 16.

The sanctuary was filled for the investiture and afterward hundreds of people crowded a reception area to congratulate Monsignor Dillon and socialize with colleagues and friends who have been associated with the vicar general in various parishes and church and city ministries.

Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, who presided at the investiture, expressing his pleasure at performing the rite, also stayed at the reception briefly.

During the investiture, Mary Mulrooney, younger sister of Monsignor Dillon, gave the first Scripture reading, and her husband, John, offered the prayers of the faithful. Visiting from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the Mulrooneys were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.

Father Brendan Doyle, parochial vicar at Holy Spirit, proclaimed the Gospel and the parish choir sang a responsorial psalm.

Asked to give the homily, Monsignor R. Donald Kiernan dubbed his friend "monsignor workaholic" and cited his wide-ranging work with the Fulton County police department, in canon law and the marriage Tribunal, as pastor of Holy Spirit parish and as the vicar general of the archdiocese, the "number two man" to Archbishop Lyke. Monsignor Kiernan said, however, that he also saluted the priest's personal qualities, calling his loyalty, devotion and friendship "things that cannot be measured, things Eddie Dillon abounds in."

Whatever challenges lie ahead, Monsignor Kiernan said, Archbishop Lyke can be sure "his right hand is standing with him side by side."

The archbishop seconded his remarks, and added that the honor to Monsignor Dillon was also an honor to "every priest in the archdiocese of Atlanta." Asking for the support of the people in prayer, the archbishop requested that they pray for Monsignor Dillon, for all priests in the archdiocese, for all "our future priests" and "for me."

Monsignor Dillon thanked the archbishop, bringing laughter from the crowd as he credited the archbishop with bringing him the honor and expressed doubt that his name was familiar to the pope. He also said that he knew the archbishop's role in the investiture required a great physical effort from him.

In addition to his sister, Monsignor Dillon has two brothers, Noel and Gerard, who also live in Canada. His parents are deceased.

Mrs. Mulrooney said from the time he was 17 her highly organized older brother "had decided on the archdiocese of Atlanta. We joked with him because he even started smoking American cigarettes. He was very ready to become a part of it." However, she and her husband also marveled at the welcome Monsignor Dillon and other Irish priests received in Atlanta. "The outpouring of love and respect we've seen is unbelievable," she said.