Tuesday, March 09, 2004
A new bishop
Our diocese gets a coadjutor bishop, as announced today. I think there are many positive aspects to this, as our present bishop is a cancer survivor and probably can use the assistance in ministry. I think having a bishop with a variety of educational and ministry experience is helpful. It is also good that he is not a bishop somewhere else. The regular precedent of moving an already consecrated and installed bishop to another diocese just rankles my traditionalist sensibility.
I can't help but note again the appointment of a bishop from outside a diocese should probably happen less often than it does. Certainly a diocese in crisis mode might need an outsider to bring a fresh viewpoint. But Kansas City is certainly no more in crisis than most other dioceses these days. There! I've said it; now I'm over it.
Our parish staff was abuzz today, as our confirmation is scheduled for five hours after Msgr. Finn's installation here. I suspect that will get postponed. So maybe our new bishop will come by for confirmation later this Spring. We'll give him a good and holy welcome when he does.
