DETROIT — Joy was in the air as word quickly leaked out Nov. 23 that Fr. Gerard W. Battersby and Fr. Robert J. Fisher would become Detroit’s next auxiliary bishops, but for those close to the bishops-elect, there was a little surprise mixed in, too.

OK, a lot of surprise.

Fr. Scott Thibodeau said his best friend, Bishop-designate Battersby, had just visited his parish, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Beverly Hills, for Vespers the night before, and hadn’t let anything on.

“At the end of the night I looked at him because Wednesday is his day off, and I asked him whether we were going to get together for dinner tomorrow night,” Fr. Thibodeau said as friends, family and well-wishers gathered at the archdiocesan Chancery building to celebrate the new appointments. “And verbatim, he says, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing for dinner tomorrow.’ And then he walked out of my rectory.

“I didn’t think anything of it until I woke up this morning and got the email,” Fr. Thibodeau said.

Fr. Thibodeau added he was thrilled also at the appointment of Bishop-designate Fisher, whose parish, the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, is right down the street.

“His parents happen to be parishioners of mine at Queen of Martyrs, so I’ve come to know him better through that,” Fr. Thibodeau said. “It’s a great day for the Archdiocese of Detroit.”

Fr. Kevin Roelant, associate pastor at Shrine, said he was shocked to hear the news that his pastor and mentor had been elevated as a bishop — but not too shocked.

“Actually, we joked and a few of us priests talked recently about possible auxiliaries, and (Bishop-designate Fisher) joked about it, too, but he kept quiet and told us today that he couldn’t say anything,” said Fr. Roelant, who was ordained in May and said Bishop-designate Fisher has been a mentor to him. “He’s a very wise pastor and I think we’ll really grow from his leadership. He’s a great listener and a great leader for our Church.

“We’re very blessed as a Church and at the Shrine we’re very excited as well,” Fr. Roelant added.

Bishop-designate Battersby’s twin brother, Chris Battersby, was “flabbergasted” when he got a text from his brother at 12:30 in the morning with the news.

“It’s wonderful news. I thought this might have been possible, but you never know,” Chris Battersby said. “He’s an amazingly giving person. When he decided to become a priest, it was just something that was very natural, given his personality. It just fit him like a glove.”

Another brother, Ed Battersby, was present for the announcement as well.

“I couldn’t be more pleased for him. He’s worked very hard for this,” Ed Battersby said. “He’s a great guy, and it’s great to have people in positions of leadership who are committed and wonderful people like Gerry.”