Sheehan To Oversee Phoenix Diocese

The Albuquerque Journal (subscription required) ^ | June 19, 2003 | Paul Logan

[CedarDave]

Thursday, June 19, 2003

Sheehan To Oversee Phoenix Diocese

By Paul Logan
Journal Staff Writer

    Archbishop Michael Sheehan, the pope's Southwest troubleshooter, swept into the Catholic Church's latest crisis Wednesday, as well as the national spotlight.
    Pope John Paul II sent Sheehan to oversee and help stabilize the beleaguered Diocese of Phoenix on the same day its bishop resigned in disgrace.
    Phoenix Bishop Thomas O'Brien stepped down after more than two decades as shepherd of 440,000 Roman Catholics. He was arrested in a fatal hit-and-run accident last weekend that killed a pedestrian, Jim Reed.
    Earlier this month, O'Brien admitted sheltering alleged molester priests.
    "I come to be a man of hope and healing," Sheehan told a Wednesday afternoon news conference in Phoenix. He also expressed his concern for Reed and his family.
    The announcement of Sheehan's new position came early Wednesday. By late Wednesday, the archdiocese had received numerous requests for interviews, and the archbishop has been courted by the three major networks' morning shows, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said Wednesday.
    Sheehan has plenty of experience in dealing with priests' sexual misconduct. He came to New Mexico a decade ago to help heal the wounds of a scandal that rocked the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. More than 200 children were sexual abuse victims, and more than 20 priests were removed.
    "My heart goes out to the clergy, religious and the faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix," Sheehan said in a prepared statement. "You have suffered greatly these last few months. ... God's grace will help us through this challenging time."
    Sheehan, who will turn 64 next month, will oversee the Phoenix Diocese while also running the Santa Fe Archdiocese and its more than 300,000 Catholics, said the Rev. Richard Olona, the archdiocese's vicar general and second in command.
    "It's different than his circumstances of 10 years ago," said Olona, pastor of the Church of the Risen Savior in Albuquerque. "He will not have to be physically present in Phoenix as much as he was here 10 years ago."
    Sheehan, who is acting as an apostolic administrator, will help in governing the Phoenix Diocese through its vicar general, mostly through conference calls and flights to Arizona, Olona said.
    He said Sheehan learned of his latest assignment from Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, known as the apostolic nuncio — the pope's representative to the United States.
    In the organizational structure of the church, Sheehan is the metropolitan archbishop for two Arizona dioceses, including Phoenix, and three in New Mexico, according to Olona. The bishops in those dioceses typically report directly to the pope. Although the Phoenix Diocese is much larger, the archbishop of the area historically resides in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
    On Tuesday, hundreds turned out in Albuquerque to celebrate Sheehan's 10th anniversary as archbishop. After a dinner in his honor, Sheehan told Olona of the pope's decision to give the archbishop full authority over the diocese.
    "It saddens him that a bishop friend, Tom O'Brien, had to resign," Olona said.
    O'Brien, 67, was arrested Monday and charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident after a witness provided a license plate and police traced it to the bishop's car, which had its windshield caved in.
    Reed, who was 6 feet tall and weighed at least 235 pounds, was jaywalking when he was hit, police said.
    The bishop told police he thought he had struck a dog or a cat or that someone had thrown a rock at his vehicle. He also told authorities he had a small amount of sacramental wine in a church service before the accident.
    "Certainly (Sheehan) has the capability and experience and I'm sure he will rally the staff in Phoenix to carry on the work of the church until the new bishop is appointed," Olona said.
    Olona said he thought the pope would act "pretty quickly" and appoint a successor.
    As vicar general, Olona is the archbishop's pastoral assistant, such as helping in the confirmation of young people and representing Sheehan when he isn't available.
    "He's doing very well," Olona said of Sheehan's added load. "He seems to have lots of energy. ... He doesn't show any signs of slowing down."
   

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2003 Albuquerque Journal

[kellynla]

I wish the Pope would get rid of Mahony in Los Angeles. The guy is a total incompetent and embarrassment!

[Incorrigible]

[kellynla]

Excellent cartoon! Do you have a link for it?

[Incorrigible]

Here's the precise link:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/breen/archive/20030617_breen.gif

Click the cartoon for all of Breen's most excellent cartoons.