Bishop Changes: Atlanta and Wheeling-Charleston

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The Holy Father today accepted the retirement of Archbishop John Francis Donoghue (Atlanta) and Bernard William Schmitt (Wheeling-Charleston).

Archbishop-designate Wilton Daniel Gregory (formerly Bishop of Belleville and just completed his term as President of the USCCB) was named as Archbishop of Atlanta.

Bishop-elect Michael J. Bransfield (formerly rector of the National Strine of the Immacolate Conception in Washington, DC) was named as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.
 
Yes…they just announced the retirement of Archbishop Donahue and the new Archbishop is Bishop Gregory… there is to be a news conference this afternoon…

Can anyone share any info about our new Archbishop? Is he conservative … I hope. What can we expect??
 
Aimee

Putting this kindly–this ain’t a step up for you.

Chris C.
 
Chris C.:
Aimee

Putting this kindly–this ain’t a step up for you.

Chris C.
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True for you, I guess.

But I am belting out a Te Deum that would put Ethel Merman to shame. Thank you Jesus and thank you Holy Father!!
 
Aimee,

Sorry. I’d have to agree with Chris. I wouldn’t call Bp. Gregory conservative. I have experience with only one parish in his diocese. There are numerous liturgical abuses in this parish. I complained and nothing happened. Fortunately, it’s not my parish, it’s my in-law’s, so I only have to deal with it once in a while.

Hope for the best!

Cathy
 
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katherine2:
True for you, I guess.

But I am belting out a Te Deum that would put Ethel Merman to shame. Thank you Jesus and thank you Holy Father!!
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Well, if I didn’t already consider Gregory a step in the wrong direction, Katherine’s position would seal it for me.

Not much the Holy Father can do though - he only has so many options. We just have to bide our time as the younger and truly orthodox priests come of age to become Bishops.
 
This is probably bordering on taboo to even bring up, but I think-despite some questions about his orthodoxy-having a black/African-American archbishop in a city that seems to have a very important place in the hearts of many African-Americans could be a really wise choice. Hopefully it will assist in evangelizing a population that has historically been pretty under-represented in the Church. Just a thought.
 
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BK80734:
This is probably bordering on taboo to even bring up, but I think-despite some questions about his orthodoxy-having a black/African-American archbishop in a city that seems to have a very important place in the hearts of many African-Americans could be a really wise choice. Hopefully it will assist in evangelizing a population that has historically been pretty under-represented in the Church. Just a thought.
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Oh My…Well…Archbishop Gregory would be our 2 or 3 black/African-American Archbishop although Bishop Marino was hispanic… Alanta is special to all in the south…Archbishop Gregorys orthodoxy or lack thereof is important to all of us…and so is proper teaching of the faith…anything less would be would be a detriment to us all…
 
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aimee:
Archbishop Gregorys orthodoxy or lack thereof is important to all of us…and so is proper teaching of the faith…anything less would be would be a detriment to us all…
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True, but would it be fair to say there seems to be a concerted effort on the part of the Vatican to reach out to the black community in the South with its appointments to Archbishop of Atlanta? The Archdiocese’s website lists Archbishop Marino as the first African American archbishop, but he was only able to serve two years (1988-1990; then Archbishop Lyke became the second in a row for Atlanta, but only lived long enough to serve about a year and a half (1991-1992). To have three black archbishops in about 16 years seems more than coincidental, especially when the first was the first one in the whole country.
 
Both of these appointments are pretty good fits and wise decisions on the part of the Congregation for Bishops.

Wilt is not a conservative, but he’s a good egg, a faithful priest who will challenge his people to be faithful in following Christ, and an understanding man who will work to bring his people together. I had quite a bit of interaction with him when he was an auxiliary in Chicago and can speak well in his favor.
 
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katherine2:
True for you, I guess.

But I am belting out a Te Deum that would put Ethel Merman to shame. Thank you Jesus and thank you Holy Father!!
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Dear katherine2,

Would you please explain to me why you are so joyful about the choice of the new Archbishop of Atlanta? I have children there and so try to keep up on the activities of the archdiocese. I had been under the impression that they had an exceptional number of seminarians, unlike so many dioceses in the US. I am also of the opinion that the current archbishop permitted the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to come into the diocese. In fact, my general idea was that the Archdiocese of Atlanta was an example of an exceptionally successful situation.

If I have been mistaken, would you please clarify? But most of all, would you please tell me why the new Archbishop is for you someone to elicit such joy? Thanks, and

God bless,

Anna
 
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Brad:
Well, if I didn’t already consider Gregory a step in the wrong direction, Katherine’s position would seal it for me.
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My best to you, too!!:love:
Not much the Holy Father can do though - he only has so many options. We just have to bide our time as the younger and truly orthodox priests come of age to become Bishops.
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Are we still playing this game that the Pope is secretly on your side but some sinister force makes him appoint superlibs against his will?
 
Just how old do you have to be to be a Bishop? The Holy Father has lots of choices and these are bad ones. Atlanta was a hotbed of solid vocations. Expect that to come to a screeching halt.

I think Bishops should be apoointed based on three criteria: their orthodoxy, the quality of their interior lives, and their capacity to manage and lead. I think skin color is completely irrelavant.

Chris C.
 
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katherine2:
My best to you, too!!:love:
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I think you anticipated the remark - I had to oblige!
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katherine2:
Are we still playing this game that the Pope is secretly on your side but some sinister force makes him appoint superlibs against his will?
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Oh. If it were only a game. I don’t play games with the Devil.

Superlibs or just plain “liberal” priests is a terminology created by “liberals”. It makes it sound nicer that there are liberal priests and conservative priests and the Bishop’s job is to unite the 2 disparate groups and everyone is happy. The fact is that self-proclaimed liberal priests are simply dissenters with various stages of un-belief in the Gospel, including their is no Hell, Jesus is not divine, no miracles occured, Mary is no big deal, the Gospels were not written by Mathew, Mark, Luke or John, Jesus is not a king, Genesis and most of Exodus is a myth, devotions are a silly pasttime for old ladies, prayer is just a conversation with a family member or friend, Jesus and God are no more present in the Eucharist and the Church than in a tree, yoga is a great way to get in touch with God and on and on and on.

Our wonderful Pope, to the best of my knowledge, has not appointed any “superlib” Bishops but he has, self-admittedly, appointed Bishops that do not discipline these renegade priests that are no more Catholic than Hindu. He admitted this was an error of his Papal leadership. I forgive him because he has done so much good for so many in so many ways and because he is a great and saintly man so far beyond myself.

Is the Pope on my side? He’s on the side of all human beings, as am I. The problem is that there are priests that are not on his side or the side of the Church as it exists. These priests (and sisters) lead the faithful astray through their teaching in seminaries and schools and their pastoring of parishes. Souls are dropping into Hell as a direct result of accepting their teachings that are filled with the double-edged sword of unbelief and lame scholarship.

When the Devil is laughing with delight, I don’t play games. I get serious and I follow the will of Christ to the best of my flesh-weakened ability.
 
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davidc2:
Bishop-elect Michael J. Bransfield (formerly rector of the National Strine of the Immacolate Conception in Washington, DC) was named as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.
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Since nobody has talked about Bishop-elect Bransfield I will.
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is getting a good guy. He can be a little stand-offish at times but he ruled the National Shrine with a tight fist. He was involved in all aspects of day to day operations.

He (in conjunction with the other priests at the Shrine) also made sure that the National Shrine Masses ran by the book.

Of course there is no way to know how this will translate to being a Bishop of a diocese, but he did a good job at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
 
being from the belleville diocese- I can only pray that we get a(n orthodox) replacement QUICKLY. We are in the midst of “clustering” parished because of the dirth of vocations, and the powers that will be left after Bishop Gregory leaves will be decidedly FOSIL.

As for Bishop Gregory’s orthodoxy- I could never quite pin it down. He seems to be personally orthodox- but didn’t seem to make too much effort (or at least this is my perception) to stop others in their flights of fancy.

For instance, in my parish- we have communion bread that is, well, sweet (because of the honey in it- believe me, I’ve made it b4 I knew it wasn’t right- not to mention the baking soda…) ANYWHO- when Bishop Gregory came for confirmation, I noticed he had his own host- the large one, yet he also consecrated the parish’s bread.

Since Atlanta seems to be on the right track already- I doubt he’ll actively derail anything- but if you have any questionable parishes, don’t look for the calvary…
 
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Marauder:
Since nobody has talked about Bishop-elect Bransfield I will.
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is getting a good guy. He can be a little stand-offish at times but he ruled the National Shrine with a tight fist. He was involved in all aspects of day to day operations.

He (in conjunction with the other priests at the Shrine) also made sure that the National Shrine Masses ran by the book.
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I haven’t heard much about this appointment (yet) but what I have heard echoes these thoughts.
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Marauder:
Of course there is no way to know how this will translate to being a Bishop of a diocese, but he did a good job at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
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I think it will be challenging for him here in Wheeling-Charleston.

Change and the uncertainty that comes along with it makes folks a little skittish. Hopefully he will be given a chance to muck things up on his own before the good people of this diocese jump to any rash judgments.😃
 
Chris C.:
Just how old do you have to be to be a Bishop? The Holy Father has lots of choices and these are bad ones. Atlanta was a hotbed of solid vocations. Expect that to come to a screeching halt.
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You must be 35 to be appointed a bishop anywhere. Archbishop is, of course, another story depending upon which Archdiocese we’re talking about. Obviously, Atlanta is a bigger assignment than Dubuque, IA. And some dioceses - take my own, Joliet, which has a larger Catholic population than most Archdioceses in the country - usually require a bishop who’s acted as an auxiliry or ordinary in a smaller diocese.

Atlanta shall continue to see a great number of vocations, so long as their orthodoxy stays intact. From what I’ve gathered, Bishop Gregory isn’t the type to go in and mix things up too much in the other direction.

Atlanta is getting a truly approachable, humble, good man. We’ll have to pray for the archdiocese and keep watching before we make any judgments.
 
I believe Marino had to leave his diocese. Affirmative action is not always a good idea. Gregory began to sound more orthodox when he was aiming for the USCCB Presidency and hopefully a promotion. I doubt he really underwent a conversion. It was for Roman consumption. But he is at heart a Bernadine boy. Sorry Atlanta. The guy going to WV seems pretty good. At any rate his liturgies at the National Shrine were quite good.
 
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