US Bishop Change: Trenton, New Jersey

[davidc2]

This morning the Holy See announced the decision of Pope Benedict XVI to name Bishop-elect David M. O’Connell, C.M. as a new Coadjutor Bishop of Trenton, New Jersey, USA.

Bishop John Mortimer Fourette Smith remains the ordinary, but upon his retirement Bishop-elect O’Connell will automatically succeed him.

 

[CDNowak]

Interesting,

 

[barb_finnegan]

Yes, that is interesting-I didn’t know that a Vincentian was the president of Catholic University of America, AND that Vincentians could become Bishops!

I remember two Bishops of Trenton who had connections with the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima. Their names were Bishop George Ahr and Bishop John Reiss. I had a priest-friend in the Franciscans who was a native of Trenton. When he was in high school, he served then-Msgr. Reiss’s Mass every morning on the way to classes. Reiss was Ahr’s secretary in the 1950s. I found this out when I showed my friend the book, ‘Dear Bishop!’ by John Haffert in 1981. I was floored when he told me he knew both Bishops!

I met Bishop Reiss twenty years ago this coming October, when my priest-friend died of cancer. I attended the wake and the funeral Mass, and Bishop Reiss co-officiated with the Bishop of Camden, which is the diocese my friend had his last parish assignment.