AUBURN – When Bishop Richard Malone celebrated Mass at Sacred Heart Church Thursday, he wanted a homily that would speak to his audience. He wanted something interesting and memorable, with an important message about the season.

He went with a black Labrador retriever.

“I have a friend. He’s 10 years old and his name is Jonah. He’s a Labrador retriever,” Malone began as giggles rippled through the church. “He’s a good dog. Humans can learn things from a good dog.”

It wasn’t a traditional sermon. But for the audience filled with wide-eyed Catholic schoolchildren nervous about meeting Maine’s highest-ranking Roman Catholic official, it was perfect.

“I learned that the bishop is cool,” said 7-year-old Taylor Bergeron.

Malone celebrated Mass at the church and visited the neighboring St. Peter and Sacred Heart School for the first time since being installed in March.

A former teacher with a passion for children’s issues, he couldn’t pass up the invitation.

“I want to know the school community and I want them to get to know me as their shepherd,” he said. “Plus, it’s just plain fun.”

After Mass, Malone toured the school, which houses 160 students.

He played with Nativity scene figures alongside preschoolers and talked with eighth-graders about an upcoming class trip. In a second-grade classroom, he accepted a worksheet on time zones, tucking it carefully in the cuff of his sleeve.

In many classes, kids vied for his attention, eager to tell stories about their pets, their siblings and their schoolwork.

“Mary was Jesus’ mom!” exclaimed 5-year-old Marcelo Senises as Malone toured a kindergarten class decorated with pictures of Jesus.

He offered a blessing in every classroom.

“The Lord be with you,” he told a group of solemn eighth-graders.

“And with you,” they said in return.

Malone served as auxiliary bishop and oversaw education for the Archdiocese of Boston before taking over for retired Bishop Joseph Gerry earlier this year. Since March, he has toured St. Dominic’s Regional High School in Auburn and a few Catholic elementary schools around the state.

Both Malone and the schoolchildren called his visit special. Malone, because it was his first tour of St. Peter and Sacred Heart. The kids, because they got to meet someone they revered.

The homily didn’t hurt his popularity, either.

“It was fun. We got to see him in real life,” said 7-year-old Sarah Allen. “And we liked his story. I liked that it was about a doggy.”