Island anxiously anticipating arrival of Bishop Byrnes

After decades of leadership under Archbishop Anthony Apuron, Monday will mark a new chapter for the Archdiocese of Agana. Vatican-appointed coadjutor Bishop Michael Byrnes is scheduled to arrive that day where he'll hit the ground running meeting with local clergy that same morning.

Celebrations kick-off on Wednesday where the public is invited to a prayer for the beginning of the Episcopal Ministry of Coadjutor Archbishop set for 10:30am at the Dulce Nombre De Maria Cathedral Basilica followed by his first islandwide mass at 6pm. Celebrations will draw to a close on December 8 with the islandwide commemoration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Concepcion, which includes the celebration of Santa Marian Kamalen and the close of the Golden Jubilee of the archdiocese.

Bishop Byrnes was appointed to the local archdiocese on October 31 amid several allegations of molestation made against Archbishop Apuron, who is anticipated to face a canonical trial in the Vatican.

As for Guam's apostolic administrator, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, who's been in charge of the archdiocese since the summer, he will return to Rome next month.