When we were ordained bishops on March 19, it was an experience which was truly humbling and awe-inspiring. Nonetheless, there were a few lighter moments. Just before the ceremony, one wag told me that once I was ordained a bishop I would never again have a bad meal or hear the truth.

So far, I have not gone hungry. However, I believe I have been privy to the real truth about the Church in Chicago. And the truth is that the Catholic Church is a source of incredible inspiration and hope.

Before being named a bishop, I served as a pastor for 10 years at St. Joseph Church, Wilmette. It is a great parish and I truly miss it. It is a place with a wonderful sense of “family.” It is a community of people who are committed to building the Church and celebrating their faith. It was a privilege to serve there. It was also a place where I learned to look at the parish and the Church with the eyes of a pastor.

Being a bishop and moving about the archdiocese gives you a different perspective. In a way, it reminds me of St. Paul. Paul wrote two epistles, or letters, to the Church at Corinth. This was a community where Paul had lived and labored for more than a year and a half. From the way he wrote, I have always thought the Corinthians were Paul’s favorite. His letters to them are very personal and very concrete. He knew the community and he knew the people. He was their pastor.

The letter of Paul to the Romans is equally eloquent, but quite different. In writing to the Christian community at Rome, Paul is writing to a community of the Church where he had never visited. He is anxious to come to Rome and this letter serves as an introduction. It is a brilliant exposition of his vision of Christ and the Church. He writes passionately about the work of redemption and the Gospel message. Paul knows he is coming to a community which is well established and thriving. He also knows that he comes to them as an apostle, reminding them of their connection to the wider Church.

As a bishop, I have gained a new appreciation for the Church in this local community. I have learned so many things in such a short period of time. I would like to share just three short reflections as someone who has seen both sides now as a pastor and as an auxiliary bishop.

First, I have learned just how much people love their parish and care about the Church.

I have had an opportunity to visit a good number of parishes in these past two months. Every parish has its own unique personality. It has its own stories, its own history. It has its own strengths and weaknesses. It is there at the parish that people most deeply and immediately identify with the Church.

When the bishop comes, people in the parish want the bishop to see their parish as they see it. They want to share their experience of the Church with you. They want you to know that this is where they worship and where they celebrate the sacred in their lives. They speak of their commitment to educate the young in the faith. They tell you about their efforts to deepen their own spiritual lives. They want you to see the ways they reach out to those in need. I am edified by the great pride people take in their parishes. I am constantly struck by how much they love their parishes.

However, there is more. People take pride in belonging to a wider Church. They feel a close and even personal relationship with the Holy Father. They identify with the good works of the Archdiocese. They support the work of missionaries around the world.

Perhaps that is one reason why the recent abuse scandal has been so painful. People identify closely with the Church. They have high expectations for it. Even if the scandal was something distant from their experience and did not involve them personally, it is still their Church. Just as they take pride in all the good that tht Church does, so too they feel the shame for the harm that has been done.

Second, I have learned that to be a parish and to be the pastor of a parish is much more than being there just for the “big events.”

Great celebrations are just the tip of the iceberg. The rhythms of a parish take time. It is often something you hardly notice. Pastors are there every day. They visit the sick. They celebrate the ordinary and extraordinary events of life. They grieve with a family when they lose a loved one. They are there to help a family mark a baptism, a First Communion or a marriage. They are there when a parishioner just needs someone to talk to. It requires time and dedication.

So too, the number of lay people who give so freely of their time and talent is humbling. After a long day at work or taking care of the home, people come to their parish to plan, to serve as catechists or to be on parish advisory boards.

As a bishop, it is both energizing and humbling to come to a parish for a special celebration or event. It is a great joy and a great privilege to be part of that moment in the life of a parish. Nonetheless, there is a vast difference in the experience of the bishop compared to the priests and people. The people and the priest “live” the Church in their parish day to day and from beginning till end. The bishop comes to celebrate a moment in the rhythm of parish life and he connects that moment to the larger reality of Church.

That brings me to a third reflection. As a bishop, I have learned just how uniquely complex the Church is as an institution.

Tip O’Neill, who served as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for many years, once said “all politics are local.” He meant that ultimately, political reality came down to the local precinct or ward. That cannot be said of the Church. People love their parish, but they also know they are connected to something much larger. They are part of an Archdiocese or local Church. In a place like Chicago, it is mind-boggling in its diversity.

In addition to that, we are part of a Church that has an enormous impact on our country. Often, the Catholic Church serves as the conscience for our nation, a reminder of the sacred in a secular world. Moreover, we are a part of a Church which is universal and apostolic. It is a Church which reaches to the farthest corners of the earth with compassion and grace. It is a Church with a rich history and tradition which can be traced all the way back to the apostles.

That is why it is so humbling when parents at confirmation want their son or daughter to have a picture taken with the bishop. Sometimes they may not articulate it well, but it speaks of the connection to the larger Church and their full initiation into this Church. And that Church is so much bigger than the parish. It is the pope speaking out for human rights and authentic peace in the world. It is the witness of the Church to the sacredness of human life from conception until natural death. It is the work of the Church with the poor through agencies such as Catholic Charities in Chicago. It is the work of Catholic Relief Services around the world as they feed the hungry and care for the fragile and the forgotten. That is our Church and we can be very proud of it.

As a pastor, you can speak about all those aspects of the Church. As a bishop, you bring that larger reality into the very life of a parish.

It has only been two months since we were ordained. At times, it can seem like it was just yesterday. Other times, it seems like it was ages ago. It has been edifying and exciting. It has been a source of inspiration and hope.

As G K. Chesterson might say, it is with a sense of humble pride that I am privileged to serve this local Church as an auxiliary bishop of Cardinal George. I hope I can carry the experience of being a pastor into this new role and celebrate the wonderful parishes of the Archdiocese. I pray that I can bring healing where there has been hurt. I will do my best to bring a sense of solidarity, a sense of loyalty and pride to the Church. And despite what the wag said, I hope that I will always hear the truth from the people I serve, and proclaim the truth of Christ in all its wonder and power to all who will listen.

 

Top

Back to Archive 2003