A lesson for the French

Bishop Richard Malone departed from his prepared homily only once Wednesday during his installation in Portland.

Laughter echoed through the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception as Malone told a story about a zucchetto, the bright pink skullcaps worn by bishops, and the generosity of Bishop Michael Cote, former auxiliary bishop of Maine and now bishop of the Norwich, Conn., diocese.

Malone and Cote attended an event Tuesday evening with other bishops, Malone said. In his rush to finish packing and move into his new home in Portland, Malone forgot his zucchetto. Cote generously offered his own skullcap to his colleague.

“I turned to the seminary student who was with me and said, ‘Isn’t it a beautiful thing to see how the bishops serve each other?'” Malone told the more than 1,100 people in attendance.

“The seminarian turned to me and said, ‘Yes. And isn’t it a beautiful thing to see how the French continue to serve the Irish?'”