Bishop appointments are flowing and the caliber of men being chosen by Pope Benedict XVI is impressive.
The Gallup, NM seat has been vacant since spring, when Bishop Donald Pelotte was granted retirement while on medical for injuries sustained in an apparent fall in 2007.
At 44, he will become one of the youngest bishops ever appointed, and it comes just over 10 years after his ordination in 1998.
Bishop-designate Wall hails from the Phoenix diocese where Bishop Olmsted had been serving as apostolic administrator of the Gallup diocese. He is the first priest of the Phoenix diocese to be elevated to bishop.
From the Las Cruces Sun - News
Olmsted and Wall said April 23 is under consideration for Wall to take over, and the ceremony probably will be at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup.
"I'm a little nervous because being appointed bishop is not something that happens every day," Wall told reporters, adding that he was "gratefully humbled to be appointed."
Wall was born in 1964 in Ganado, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation. He said his parents, both teachers, moved in 1962 to Chinle, Ariz., also on the reservation.
His parents, who met at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, converted to Catholicism after coming into contact with two Franciscan priests, he said.
Olmsted alluded to that in a lighthearted introduction, saying that when Wall was conceived his parents were not Catholic, but they were when he was born. [Heheheeee]
Between 2003 and 2007, Wall was a member of the National Advisory Council of the U.S. Bishops' Conference. He most recently has been assigned to the diocesan pastoral center in Phoenix
At the blog of Patrick Madrid, Fr. Bud Pelletier writes:
Bishop Elect Wall is warm, funny, outgoing, athletic, and one of the best 'listeners' I know. He is truly a man of the Church, faithful to the Magisterium, dedicated to the reverent celebration of Mass, and truly a priest for the People of God. I cannot say enough positive things about him, and I know the Diocese of Gallup will be lead by one of the best Bishops in the world.
Want to see the Rev. Jim Wall in action? Here he is in a send off Mass for the youth of Phoenix heading to Australia for World Youth Day.
More:
- Reverend James S. Wall appointed as bishop of the Diocese of Gallup (Catholic Sun)
- Phoenix priest to become N.M. bishop (AZ Central)
- Gallup bishop is nation's youngest KRQE
The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
1 Comments:
Bishop Wall...it's still taking some getting used to.
Based on my experiences of Bishop Wall as Fr. Jim, it's weird to see him as a bishop, and yet, it makes perfect sense at the same time...an interesting paradox, if you will.
In the time he served at St. Thomas and for a small period of time at Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Glendale, he was very, very serious about how the mass was done. Thank God. It was great to participate in such a reverent, uplifting mass. Yet, after mass, he'd talk about how he needed to get home to watch the AZ Cardinals play. Ha ha. What struck me about this is here is a guy (and I use guy...b/c he really is one of the guys), who loves God so much, it's evident in the way he lives his life. And at the same time, he's very normal, joking, laughing, humble, but just through and through, a great guy. So for me, seeing such an ordinary person elevated to Bishop, well, it's almost funny, but it makes perfect sense. I just thank God for giving us the opportunity to have Fr. Jim for a short time. He really does make people around him feel a sense of joy, and sincerity at the same time.
I think that there are few men who inspire others so much, that they would be willing to step out into the unknown, taking a leap of faith for these men. I consider Bishop Wall one of these men. I don't know how he will be as a Bishop, but I believe that he will inspire the faithful of New Mexico in much the same way. I pray that Our Lord will always keep Him close to his Sacred Heart, and that Our Lady will continue to protect him as her son. Because now he begins another chapter that will link him much more intimately to the mystery of Calvary.
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