Updated: Archbishop Chaput leaves the Rocky Mountains for Philly (lots of links)

Freshly "snipped" from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at 6:00am this morning

Update July 24, 2011  Happening now ....Archived video from Archbishop Chaput's address in Philly added.

Update: July 20, 2011 - See the embedded video just added from the presser with Archbishop Chaput's statement.  Also, if you read anything, read the two interviews, one by John Allen, the other in the list at the bottom by Sandro Magister.

Savannah, Georgia wakes up to the news that Franciscan, Rev. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM will become it's next bishop, and the people of Philadelphia got confirmation that Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver will succeed the outgoing Cardinal Justin Rigali.

Archbishop Chaput had been rumored more than once to be headed to a cardinalatial see from his Denver post which he has held since 1997, and it finally happened this morning with his appointment today to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI.  He will be installed on September 8, 2011 - the day on which we celebrate the Birth of Mary. At the same time, the Holy Father accepted the resignation of Cardinal Justin Rigali who held that post since October of 2003.  The two will be at a 10:00 press conference which can probably be watched live at the diocesan website.

I, like other Catholic bloggers, was watching the rumor mill swell until it finally could not contain itself any more yesterday and the near certainty was winding it's way through Philly papers and the  blogosphere before the embargo which would have been Noon time today in Rome.

The Philly-bound bishop was the second Native American (Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe) to be ordained a bishop in the United States, the first Native American to be archbishop, and God-willing, the first Native American to become a Cardinal.  It is unusual for a bishop to be named Cardinal while his predecessor is still alive, and under 80.   Upon reaching the age of 80, they are no longer considered among the Cardinal Electors who chose the next Pope.  Cardinal Rigali just turned 76 a few months ago.  Archbishop Chaput would be likely be elevated to Cardinal in a consistory at some point after April of 2015 if Philadelphia keeps it's red hat, and depending on other limitations there may be on overall numbers and distribution.

You can read Archbishop Charles J. Chaput's full bio and curriculum vitae at the Archdiocese of Denver website.


"A Conservative Bishop"?

That is a label for Archbishop Chaput you will see in many sources.  But, how would people describe "conservative"?  Is he politically conservative, socially conservative, liturgically conservative? 

In looking around the web this morning, I found an exclusive interview that reporter, John Allen had with Archbishop Chaput about his appointment to Philadelphia.  In that interview they talk about everything from politics, to baseball, and the Latin Mass.

Why, oh why is this respectable reporter still writing for the dissident rag, the National Catholic Reporter. Now, considering that the NC Reporter has writers advocating everything from liberation theology to abortion I recommend looking at the reaction of their readers in the combox to the news of Chaput's appointment.  The dissident wing of the Church is throwing an absolute nutty.  Thomas J. Reese, SJ, of the Woodstock Theological Center [I'm not making that up], had this reaction in Philly.com:

"I think that with Chaput you will see a much more politically active archbishop than we saw with Cardinal Rigali," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, former editor of the Jesuit magazine America and author of numerous books on the Catholic hierarchy.

Reese described Chaput as an "in-your-face" leader who is "going to be a real pain in the neck for the Democratic Party."

It's not the Democratic Party that Archbishop Chaput is confronting; rather it is Catholic Democratic Party politicians and other democrats who exploit their "catholicity" for agendas that are contrary to Catholic teaching which he confronts.


In an article written yesterday by Allen, he had this to say:

Despite the fact that Chaput has been rumored to be in line for virtually every major opening in the American church in recent years, his appointment to Philadelphia nonetheless comes as something of a surprise.

Speaking on background, sources told NCR that Chaput was a highly personal choice by Pope Benedict. Most insiders considered Chaput a long-shot for Philadelphia, regarding Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., a Pennsylvania native and a prelate with a reputation for brokering compromise, as the favorite.

Benedict, however, tapped Chaput, solidifying his profile as a papal favorite.

In recent years, Benedict turned to Chaput to handle two other sensitive assignments: Chaput was part of a team of bishops tasked with conducting a review of the Legionaries of Christ, and he was also entrusted with a visitation of the Toowoomba diocese in Australia under Bishop William Morris.

That latter investigation led to Benedict's decision to sack Morris, in part because Morris suggested openness to women priests in a pastoral letter.

One way to learn about someone is through their writings.  You can find a boatload of them linked at the bottom of this page since Archbishop Chaput is a prolific writer on a number of topics.
More articles and blogposts are below. Some of these were written yesterday or early this morning, before the official announcement, but contain interesting notes and background. 

I am providing a variety of resources here - some seemingly favorable, others not, and others just reporting facts.  Here again, I recommend sampling some of the comments that can be found in the blogs.  I would not recommend paying much attention to comboxes of secular news sources since there are many non-Catholics, mostly secularists, who tend to dominate those discussions. 




THIS LIST WILL BE UPDATED LATER

• Archbishop Chaput to lead Philadelphia Archdiocese (Vatican Radio)
• From the Prairie to the Atlantic Coast. The New Bishops Stateside (Sandro Magister)
• Chaput to Philly (Thomas Pringle)
• Render Unto Chaput -- Sources: Denver's Capuchin = Philadelphia's Revolution (Rocco Palmo)
• Pope accepts Philadelphia archbishop's resignation; Chaput named successor (Allentown Morning Call)
• Archbishop may become Cardinal (the Coloradan)
• Michael Sean Winters (NCR Blog) is throwing a nutty 
• It won't be Rigali, Part 2 (Philly.com)
• Great 2008 Interview with Archbishop Chaput (Regnun Novum)
• Tom Peters, the American Papist will be at the 10:00am Presser, Tweeting (Catholic Vote)
• Chaput to Philly (The Anchoress)
• Philadelphia needs it's new archbishop (Matt Archbold)
• Of course, the New York Times would rely on the "Woodstock Theological Center" for comment

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New Auxiliary Bishops for Detroit!

The long wait for auxiliary bishops is finally over for Detroit with the appointment of Msgr. Donald Hanchon and Fr. Michael Byrnes - both from this archdiocese - to the posts.   That gives us four bishops: Archbishop Vigneron, Bishop Reiss, and on May 5th, these two men.

I must get off to work, so I'll pass along what is on the AoD's website for now.  Also, I do not really know either of them so I can't offer anything beyond what is here.  Please keep these men and all the priests of our archdiocese in your prayers.  May the Holy Spirit guide them and the Blessed Mother protect them.


From the Archdiocese of Detroit:

Pope Benedict XVI has named two local priests, Monsignor Donald Hanchon and Father Michael Byrnes, to be auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Bishop-designates Hanchon and Byrnes will be ordained as the archdiocese's 26th and 27th auxiliary bishops, respectively, on May 5 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. Auxiliary bishops aid the archbishop in the pastoral care of the archdiocese.

Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron will introduce both men at 11:30 a.m. today at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. In their roles as bishops, Bishop-designate Hanchon will retain his administrative responsibilities for the parishes and priests of the Central Region. Bishop-designate Byrnes will assume administrative responsibilities for the Northeast Region beginning July 1.

"It's a great blessing for the archdiocese to have auxiliary bishops to lead two of the pastoral regions, as well as to perform other pastoral duties inherent in a bishop's role," Archbishop Vigneron said. "Certainly it's an honor for a priest to be selected for this level of responsibility. More than an honor, it's about new capacity for sharing Christ with others."

Bishop-designate Donald Hanchon

Bishop-designate Hanchon, 63, was born in Jackson, attended St. Mary grade school in Wayne and Sacred Heart Seminary High School in Detroit. He attended Sacred Heart Seminary, St. John's Provincial Seminary, University of Notre Dame, and University of Detroit, and was ordained a priest Oct. 19, 1974 at St. Mary Church in Wayne by Bishop Joseph Imesch. He has spent his priesthood serving at a number of parishes in Detroit, Monroe, Warren and Port Huron. He has been pastor of Holy Redeemer in Detroit since 1999 and in 2009 was named episcopal vicar for the archdiocese's Central Region. He also has taught at Sacred Heart Major Seminary and has served as archdiocesan coordinator for Hispanic ministries.

"I renew my confidence in God's grace, and humbly accede to the Holy Father's wish to appoint me as a bishop to work under Archbishop Vigneron in the service of the people of the Archdiocese of Detroit," said Bishop-designate Hanchon. "I promise obedience because I believe that the God who began this good work in me all those years ago will indeed bring it to fulfillment. I thank Archbishop Vigneron for his trust in me, and his joyful encouragement to serve."

Bishop-designate Michael Byrnes

Bishop-designate Byrnes, 52, was born in Detroit and went to St. Mary of Redford grade school and Detroit Catholic Central High School, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Michigan. He began ministerial work in campus ministry at Eastern Michigan University, became involved in the Charismatic Renewal, and entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary in 1990. He was ordained a priest May 25, 1996, by Cardinal Adam Maida at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. He later received a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has taught at the seminary and ministered at parishes. He has been vice rector of Sacred Heart Major Seminary and pastor of Presentation/Our Lady of Victory Parish in Detroit since 2004.

"I am honored that the Holy Father and Archbishop Vigneron have such confidence in me to make this appointment. I will do my best not to let them down," said Bishop-designate Byrnes. "I love being a priest of Jesus Christ, and I have loved my work helping young men discern and prepare for the priesthood, and as the pastor of Presentation/Our Lady of Victory Parish to enable the ministry of administrator Deacon Hubert Sanders. Archbishop Vigneron mentioned to me that my assignment as auxiliary bishop will entail 'helping parishes and helping priests.' I place my trust in God's providence that these experiences, along with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will help me to do that."

In the Detroit archdiocese, Bishop-designates Hanchon and Byrnes join Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss and retired Auxiliary Bishops Moses Anderson, SSE, and Thomas Gumbleton. Archbishop Allen Vigneron serves as chief shepherd for the 1.4 million Catholics who reside in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Lapeer and St. Clair Counties.

The Michigan Catholic online has more information.

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Bishops to be named today...Miami and Springfield, IL

First, I've updated my Twitter Feed for the first time in .... over a week?  Click the bird in the sidebar to see some of the news out there.  I'll try to keep it up daily again now.  Things were too busy to even keep up with Twitter. 

Press conferences are scheduled in Archdiocese of Miami and in Diocese of Springfield. 

Watch these sources for early reporting:

• Rocco Palmo at Whispers in the Loggia
• Tom Peters at Catholic Vote Action

Rocco has already given some background on the bishop believed to be taking over the Archdiocese of Miami.  In a trend I have noticed, Pope Benedict XVI is rumored to be sending Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, Florida home to Miami, Florida.  Word has it he will hit the ground running. 

Will the Holy See limit it to two?  If you get to this post after noon Rome time, which is about 20 minutes as of this posting, start checking the Bollettino. 





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Archbishop Gomez of San Antonio named Co-Adjutor of Los Angeles

Archbishop Jose Gomez (58) of San Antonio was be named co-adjutor in Los Angeles to ultimately succeed Cardinal Roger Mahony, who turns 75 in February.  He is a priest of Opus Dei.

Here is the Bollettino for April 6 with the announcement. 

Deacon Greg Kandra writes:

Archbishop Jose Gomez, of San Antonio, has a fascinating resume -- including being born in Mexico, and being ordained a priest of Opus Dei after getting degrees in both philosophy and accounting (!).

He's been named by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in America.

And, while Gomez doesn't appear to have extensive experience in academia or priestly formation -- which Benedict seems to favor in many of his bishops -- according to his official biography, he "played a key role" in the establishment of the Hispanic Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

I also found this: 

San Antonio - Archbishop Gomez sent a letter to every parish in the city informing them of his decision to have the local, former "indult" TLM community move from its former place in a tiny chapel behind a nursing home to one of the biggest parishes in the city. The attendance was estimated at 450 people, and the comments the people made afterward were overwhelmingly positive.

EDIT:  Biblical scholar, Michael Barber has a detailed post on Abp Gomez.

And: You have to see Father Z's post and the well over 80 comments which offer even more background. 

Sources to watch today:

• 
  
  American Papist at CatholicVoteAction.org
• 
  
  Whispers in the Loggia
• 
  
  Archdiocese of San Antonio
• 
  
  Archdiocese of Los Angeles
• 
  
  NewAdvent.org (will likely have many links to commentaries throughout the day)
• 
  
  Father Z

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Speculation in Los Angeles, Part 2

Michael Barber has made a second post, discussing potential candidates for successor to Cardinal Mahoney.



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Speculation in Los Angeles as Cardinal Mahoney turns 75

Cardinal Mahoney has himself acknowledged in his own blog that he this will be his "last full andf final year". 

Catholic Biblical Scholar, Michael Barber (John Paul the Great University) has made an extensive post on the subject, and looks at some possible candidates.  It is largely believed that Mahoney's successor will be Hispanic given the large population.  He digs into the background of three possible successors.

You might want to bookmark The Sacred Page and visit it for the biblical discussions there.

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Omaha, NE gets a new archbishop

From the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska:

On June 3, 2009, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed The Most Reverend George J. Lucas, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, as Archbishop of Omaha. He will be the fifth Archbishop of Omaha and the tenth to lead the archdiocese when he is installed on July 22, 2009.

He succeeds Archbishop Elden Curtiss who served since 1993.

The archdiocesan website has provided a "press kit" page with biographical and other info.

Update: Tom Peters has a lively combox going with some pretty good info on Abp-elect Lucas. Sounds like a winner for Omaha.




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Bishop Robert J. Carlson of Saginaw appointed 9th Archbishop of St. Louis

The wait is finally over for St. Louis. There has been much anticipation in the Catholic blogosphere since Archbishop Timothy Dolan's appointment to New York, that the St. Louis vacancy would be filled any day.

It is a bittersweet day today for loyal Catholics and seminarians in Diocese of Saginaw. The diocese is losing it's most orthodox bishop, Robert J. Carlson, to the Archdiocese of St. Louis, where he will replace Archbishop Raymond L. Burke. Loyal Catholics and seminarians of St. Louis should be overjoyed with Pope Benedict's choice.

Archbishop-elect Carlson will become the 10th bishop and 9th archbishop of the St. Louis. From the homepage of the Archdiocese of St. Louis

At noon today in Rome (5 a.m. CDT), the Press Office of the Holy See announced that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed The Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw, as Archbishop of St. Louis. He will serve as the 10th bishop and ninth Archbishop of St. Louis.

Bishop Robert J. Hermann, Archdiocesan Administrator for St. Louis, called Archbishop-elect Carlson “a very energetic, articulate, warm and gifted pastor and administrator. He thinks and works with the Church he loves, and will continue to build upon the legacy of his predecessors here in St. Louis.”

Archbishop–elect Carlson was installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw on February 24, 2005 at the direction of Pope John Paul II. A native of Minneapolis, MN, he was ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 1970 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He was later ordained as an auxiliary bishop for his home archdiocese on January 11, 1984 and went on to serve as Bishop of Sioux Falls, SD, from 1994 to 2005.

St. Louis became vacant last year when Archbishop Burke was appointed to the Apostolic Signatura, which is like the Church's version of the supreme court, with Burke acting as it's head, much like a chief justice.

Under Bishop Carlson, who took over one of the most liberal dioceses in Michigan, vocations to the priesthood skyrocketed under his leadership. When he got there in 2005, there were no seminarians. In a May 2006 interview, he had this to say:

When I came to this diocese in early 2005, we had no one entering the seminary. Now we have 16 seminarians and I hope to have 20 in the fall. I decided I needed to be the Vocations Director. I think letting the young men know that the Bishop thinks their job is important says something. However, I don’t want you to think I took just anyone. I had to say no to some young men who were interested. The key is knowing what God is calling you to do.

Looking at the Diocese of Saginaw website, there are currently 18 men studying for the priesthood.

I have no doubts that Pope Benedict will appoint another solid man to head that diocese. Bishops being chosen today have the mind of the Church and for this, we should rejoice, and pray, that it continues.

I'm also saddened myself at the loss of Bishop Carlson from the Michigan Catholic Conference. With Bishop Early Boyea recently appointed to Lansing, and Archbishop Vigneron heading Detroit and the conference, I was looking forward to some sound teachings on more issues. I'm sure with whomever is eventually appointed to Saginaw, the Michigan Catholic Conference will be positively impacted.

From the Archdiocese of St. Louis Homepage:

Follow the day's events:
-10:30 am: Watch the press conference online.
-View pictures of the Archbishop-elect, as he visits various locations in the Archdiocese.
-Follow the Archdiocese on Twitter for up-to-the-minute postings.

Related Links (to be updated - check back):

• The Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson Named New Archbishop of Saint Louis (St. Louis Catholic)
• Breaking: Robert Carlson is the next Archbishop of St. Louis! (AmP)
• AmP picks Carlson for St. Louis ... now here's what you need to know about him (AmP)
• Son of St Paul to St Louis (Whispers in the Loggia)

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Bishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone named Bishop of Oakland. Next up: St. Louis

The Pope has named San Diego auxiliary bishop, Salvatore Joseph Cordileone to the Oakland, California diocese which recently became vacant when Archbishop Allen Vigneron was installed in Detroit a few months back.

The 52 year old has been an auxiliary bishop since 2002 for San Diego.

A few other brief notes I can mention on my lunch hour here:

• He is a canonist who worked in the curia at the Apostolic Signatura which is friend, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke now heads.
• He is vocally pro-life, pro-family, and pro-marriage (in the Catholic sense)
• He is strongly supportive of the traditional Latin Mass, celebrating the Requiem in EF for a priest who died in the diocese.

Related Links:

• Pope Names Bishop for Oakland, CA (AP)
• "Lion Heart" Meets "Space Egg" (Whispers in the Loggia)

More US Appointments?

According to Rocco's report at "Whispers" above, we should be seeing a replacement for Abp Raymond Burke who left St. Louis vacant when he was appointed to the Signatura. Stay tuned!

Of course, we are also keeping a close eye on Westminster in the UK - a very critical appointment. However long it takes for the Vatican to get it right is the most important, but let's pray it is sooner than later.

More later, perhaps tonight!

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As secular things go....The New York Times introduces Archbishop Timothy Dolan to it's readers

"Big Tim" , with eyes widely opened, gazes in awe with a prize he has earned after calling St. John the Evangelist Cathedral home (see Milwaukee's cathedral before it was wreckovated by Abp Weakland - his predecessor, and after). His new home will be the ever-beautiful St. Patrick's in New York. PHOTO: AP/Seth Wenig

I'm home eating lunch and pounding away at the keyboard once again...

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee gets the New York City throne. The archbishop points out that unlike his appointment in Milwaukee, he was not asked if he would like it; he was told it was his. As an obedient son of the Church, he didn't second guess the Holy Father when word came through the Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi "some nine or ten days ago", that the Pope had appointed him as the next archbishop of New York City.

He will be installed on April 15th, the Wednesday following Easter.

From Hell's Bible, the New York Times article, Milwaukee Archbishop Chosen to Succeed Egan . (emphases in bold; comments mine bracketed in red)

Archbishop Dolan, who has a towering frame and a gregarious presence, is orthodox in his theology but more likely to use persuasion than punishment on Catholics who do not share his views [I agree that this is a trend in more recent appointments. The Holy Father wants to bring along as many people as possible out of their dissenting mode through reason rather than throwing them out. It requires more time and patience. Not to worry because God knows that many people have been misled, but now they have to be carefully led back. However, Dolan will do what he must if a situation warrants it. For that, read on....].

[snip]

Archbishop Dolan, by contrast, has earned a reputation for being convivial with parishioners, accessible to the news media [this is needed because when a bishop or cardinal is not accessible, the media fills in the blank] and not above smoking cigars with his seminarians [I'm anti-smoking, but never against a bishop or priest having a periodic stogie with his brothers and with seminarians - I think this is a good thing]. Yet behind the scenes, he has quietly reeled in theologians and priests who question church doctrine [this goes to the dignity of the person and another reason why I think the Holy Father is appointing men with this quality. What parent would work to correct a child in a public way? However, I think there is a limit here and a time for public correction lest others catch the same illness]

[snip]

“He’s the type of man that the pope is looking for as a bishop,” said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit scholar and close observer of American bishops. “He’s intelligent, he’s scholarly, he is pastoral and people like him. [Of course the NY Times would consult Reese. I found this interesting given that it is coming from the dissenting wing of the Church (no use of left or right here would be appropriate you are either loyal or dissenting). Reese is the former editor of American Magazine (a dissenting Jesuit periodical) who was unceremoniously removed by the Holy See resigned and is now with the Woodstock Theological Center (oy vey!). What is interesting is that there is no apparent jab here, given Dolan's orthodoxy. Will they listen to him? Can he disarm them?]

Well, it's time for me to head back to work. Click the headline above and read the entire article. It is lengthy. I'll have more later with links from around the blogosphere and news outlets.

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It's...It's...It's.....nevermind...The wait in the Big Apple continues....

It was....

widely

anticipated

today

....that New York would have a new Archbishop named and that Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee would have the helm.

If the announcement is coming today, February 17th, it has not made it into the daily Bollettino.

Yet, journalist and blogger, Rocco Palmo is suggesting people refresh frequently for updates in a post made at 5:56am, just 4 minutes before the Bollettino is published daily. Did it simply not make the Bollettino? We shall see - I have seen it happen once before.

(update 6:33 am): Rocco Writes:

SVILUPPO: 6.20... and still quiet -- no release from Gotham chancery, no pickups from the TV stations, no drop of anything in the Holy See's Daily Bollettino... but the latter could simply be taking its usual time to update.

By quarter past, a friend in Gotham sent the following note: "I'm ready to pull my hair out."Aren't we all?If nothing appears here by, say, 6.35, consider the search party called off for another day.

I must say that since I've been watching the Bollettino for US bishop appointments, I have never witnessed it change once it has been posted. I think we are waiting another day, another week, or perhaps until the Vatican sees we aren't looking and least expect it.

I have to head off to work so happy Archbishop-appointment-watching.

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Gallup, NM gets a bishop - the Rev. James S. Wall

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

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Ecclesiastical Change in the Big Apple soon?

Within the next week to 10 days, New York will get it's new shepherd, so says News Max

New York has been waiting for some time, like Detroit which just had His Excellency, Allen H. Vigneron take the helm. Cardinal Egan is ready for retirement and all eyes are on this forthcoming change.

According to NewsMax which is claiming the change is coming...

Names often cited as Egan’s possible successor include Archbishop Harry Mansell of Hartford, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, Archbishop John Myers of Newark, Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves of San Juan.

Missing from that list is one that I thought for sure would be on it, was Archbishop Chaput of Denver. There had been speculation that he might fit in well in New York.

Whomever it is, it sounds like New York is getting a winner. In fact, I don't know of any bishop appointed recently by Pope Benedict that isn't a winner.

The Pope has chosen an archbishop who is “dynamic, conservative and orthodox”, he says – traits which Vatican watchers say best match those of Archbishop Dolan. The 59 year old prelate is said to be good with the media, genuine, and intelligent. He also has Irish ancestry, a common characteristic of previous archbishops of New York.

Stay tuned....

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Longest vacant diocesan throne filled: Knoxville, TN gets a bishop!

Bishop watching can be fun these days. There is a new man at the helm in Knoxville - the longest diocese with a vacancy at the top. It is Msgr. Richard F. Stika, who comes from St. Louis.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 12 JAN 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Richard F. Stika of the clergy of the archdiocese of Saint Louis, U.S.A., pastor of the church of the Annunziata, as bishop of Knoxville (area 36,872, population 236,573, Catholics 56,068, priests 70, permanent deacons 25, religious 53), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Saint Louis in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1985.

Rocco Palmo has more: Rich It Is -- Western "Rome" Meets East Tennessee

For those of you wanting to know a little more about this pastor turned bishop, spend a little time mining his parish website - a good way to get a little more familiar with a man who doesn't have an episcopal trail.





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Breaking! Cardinal Maida Retires; Bishop Allen Vigneron to take the helm in Detroit

It's Bishop Allen Vigneron!

I have to get off to work, but wanted to pass along that Cardinal Maida has officially announced his retirement and Bishop Allen Vigneron, currently of the Oakland, CA diocese will talk the helm in Detroit. He will be installed on January 28th.

Folks, this is very good. Bishop Vigneron is a native of metro Detroit, knows the diocese very well (and I do mean, very well), and was an auxiliary bishop here before being assigned in California.

This almost assures him a red hat.

Cardinal Maida is rumored to be staying in the metro Detroit area, along with Cardinal Szoka who also resides in the area.

More on this and background later.

UPDATE: Go read Fr. Z's post on this, and keep an eye on the combox of the same post where some interesting tidbits are flowing.


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Bishop Jamie Soto takes the Helm in Sacramento

Bishop Jamie Soto, who has served for a year as the co-adjutor of Sacramento has taken the reigns from Bishop William Weigand.

Yes.....that Jamie Soto!

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Detroit Aux Bishop Quinn....Detroit's Loss is Winona's Gain

Bishop Quinn is flanked by several priests and deacons, including Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life. Bishop Quinn was the celebrant at a Mass preceding the burial of aborted babies, found in an abortion clinic dumpster.

Well, we have lost Bishop Quinn. Detroit's loss is Winona, Minnesota's gain. He has been appointed as Coadjutor Bishop for the diocese of Winona and will take the helm in that diocese when Bishop Bernard Harrington goes into retirement. He turned 75 in September.

You can read more at the Winona diocese website.

Tom Peters, the American Papist, has more. Detroit is now down to two auxiliary bishops - Reese and Flores, and Cardinal Maida has been coasting into retirement, awaiting the appointment of his successor.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

US Bishop Appointments....is Detroit coming soon???

A small string of US bishop appointments has been taking place the last few days. In Detroit, with rumors indicating that Cardinal Maida's successor would be named soon (some months ago), you have to wonder if we are on the final stretch. Watching the Bollettino at the Vatican's website can be interesting.

At 6:00am local Detroit time each day, the Holy See releases various statements, such as bishop appointments (mostly in Italian). Those eventually make their way to the Vatican Information Service (VIS) in various languages, and then Zenit and other news sources communicate them.

The VIS had this posted on July 7th:

VATICAN CITY, 7 JUL 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Herbert A. Bevard of the clergy of the archdiocese of Philadelphia, U.S.A., pastor of St. Athanasius parish, as bishop of Saint Thomas (area 352, population 108,612, Catholics 30,000, priests 15, permanent deacons 27, religious 27), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Baltimore, U.S.A. in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1972.

- Appointed Bishop William Francis Malooly, auxiliary of Baltimore, U.S.A., as bishop of Wilmington (area 13,916, population 1,270,734, Catholics 230,000, priests 214, permanent deacons 94, religious 380), U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

On July 9th, this:

- Appointed Bishop David L. Ricken of Cheyenne, U.S.A., as bishop of Green Bay (area 27,775, population 1,008,000, Catholics 373,000, priests 293, permanent deacons 137, religious 698), U.S.A.

Do I dare observe a pattern involving US appointments? Stay tuned!

Something else worth noting, from July 9th...

- Appointed Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. He succeeds Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., whose resignation from the same office the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

Is the CDW Next?

With Abp Amato being appointed to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, we now turn our attention to the Congregation for Divine Worship, currently headed by Cardinal Arinze, who is expected to retire. Of course, anyone interested in liturgy, wants to know who will head the CDW. Focus is heavily on Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain.

• Rorate: rumor of a new Prefect for CDW becoming firmer


• "Little Ratzinger" to head CDW? (NLM)

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!.

Trumpets of Jericho - the best approach to getting solid bishops

I recently learned about a local association of Catholics which originated here in the Archdiocese of Detroit, but reaches beyond. It is called Trumpets of Jericho. Before we get into what the association does, we need to explore something....

Through apostolic succession, God has given us bishops.

Priests and bishops, like the rest of us, are human and are not immune to the effects of Original Sin, which tempts us to follow things which are displeasing to God. It is by the grace of God, through the Sacraments, a rich prayer life, and the practice of virtue and sacrifice, that those things the world deems seemingly impossible becomes possible.

A child who is self-centered and disobedient will always be discontent if he can't have what he wants, when he wants it. A child who is taught the art of self-denial and to think of others rather than just himself grows up tolerant and content. It's the same with all of God's children - including adults. We are not inclined to practice self-denial and virtue so it must be taught and reinforced, not with force, but with calm, firm, persistence. A priest or bishop who comprehends this becomes a master at pruning thornbush from around sheep caught up in it. Humility will enable a lamb to see that the thorns have been carefully pruned away and make their escape. Pride will keep others in the thornbush no matter how much has been pruned from around them.

Not every priest and bishop you encounter has had the most solid of seminary training and education, which means it's more charitable to assume that when things go wrong, we don't assume it is malicious, but perhaps based more on ignorance or bad schooling. Others who have had good training, have chosen a path not aligned with the mind of the Church - a path padded with pride. False charity is exercised when bishops and priests do not preach the fullness of the faith for fear of hurting people's feelings. The preservation of self-esteem becomes more important for these shepherds than the salvation of souls for all of eternity.

The Catholic faith is not just about the Resurrection; it's also about the Cross. It is not just about God's mercy, but also about His Justice. It's not just about consolations He sends us, but about how we console God when we least feel like it, by praying and going to adoration or Mass rather than sleeping in, or shopping, playing sports or whatever else we deem more important at the moment. Ultimately, it is not just about how God loves us, but about how we love God back. This involves forming our conscience properly and following His Commandments, and by putting in time at prayer with consistency, especially in the absence of consolations.

It is justifiable to be angry about the actions of bishops who express thoughts which are contrary to Church teaching, or not aligned with the mind of the Church. It is understandable to be disappointed and upset when they do not address issues that need to be addressed.

Sometimes we take our anger or disappointment to the internet where there is no shortage of criticism against specific Catholic bishops. We must be careful that we do not cross the line into rash judgment (ccc 2477-78), which is objectively grave matter, or calumny and detraction, which are also grave matter (ccc 2479). Attacking someone's position on something is one thing, but attacking their person is another. A great role model is our Holy Father, Pope Benedict. No matter how "bad" someone is that he meets, he treats that person with the utmost of respect for their dignity. This is dialogue with love. It doesn't give in, but it's not "in your face" or condescending either.

It would be interesting to have statistical study results that would reveal much time we spend reading about bishops and discussing them online versus the time we spend praying for them - regardless of whether is it positive or negative news. What comes to mind is the now dormant blog, the Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz Prayer Club, which was originally entitled, the Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz Fan Club. The name was changed by the teen blog-owner after he wrote the Bishop and was encouraged to take on a new theme. A fan club is something that yields discussion and a prayer club promotes praying. The bishop knew it was more important that he get people's prayers rather than talk. The blog didn't go dormant on account of that, rather the young man needed time to work, study, etc.

While such a statistical study on a population is not practical, there is no reason we can't do an examination of conscience on an individual basis in this regard. If we spend more time discussing the matter with others than we do praying for our bishops, then we have to ask ourselves how much we truly believe in the grace of God and the power of prayer.

TRUMPETS OF JERICHO - A NEW APPROACH
If you really want to do something to increase the number of holy, courageous bishops, and for the conversion of existing bishops, that they may stand up for the faith with the same vigor as their early Church predecessors, you'll want to check out the Trumpets of Jericho. They themselves ask for our prayers because they know better than anyone, that they need our prayers.

Trumpets of Jericho is not for talkers. It's not for people who want debate. It's not for people who want to commiserate with fellow Catholics about things bishops are doing, or not doing. Trumpets of Jericho is an association for "doers" - the kind who would rather pray than talk about today's problems. It takes an act of faith to put time in at an adoration chapel that would have been spent in dialogue. To get bishops that will teach us about the Cross and about sacrifice, will take sacrificial acts. You can offer weekly fasts for this purpose, along with other sacrifices that come to mind throughout the day.

While it originated for the purpose of reforming the Archdiocese of Detroit, you can join to pray for your own diocese. I can't think of any diocese that does not need prayer, including those known to be solid and orthodox. The strong can fall without our prayers.

Learn more about the association, Trumpets of Jericho, at their website. Don't just talk about bishops, pray for them.


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Only the free can choose obedience to Magisterial teachings. The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; rather, it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!.

As Detroit awaits new Archbishop, so does New York

It is no longer a secret in Detroit that Adam Cardinal Maida, the oldest serving Prince of the Church in the US, will soon be getting on in retirement, something he has longed for. Several times since Cardinal Maida turned 75, the rumor mill buzzed about potential replacements, then fell silent. In August 2006, it was thought that Abp John J. Myers of Newark would get the helm in Detroit, then that faded. More recent speculations included Bishop Wenski of Orlando, Florida. My own speculation, based on nothing scientific, other than a gut hunch, is that it could be Bishop Allen Vigneron of Oakland, CA - a former rector of Sacred Heart Major Seminary here in Detroit. With all of this speculation, Divine Justice will probably grace us with someone totally unexpected and relatively unknown.

There has even been speculation on the date, with many thinking we would hear something by the time Pope Benedict XVI visited the US several weeks ago. However, as I watched the ordinations this past Saturday, it made sense that we had heard nothing. Even if it had nothing to do with awaiting Detroit ordinations, somewhere out there, a new bishop, Detroit-bound, may have unfinished business. We'll simply have to wait.....

Detroit isn't the only place waiting. As Rocco Palmo writes with regards to Cardinal Egan: In Big Apple, the Drumbeat Begins

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