Serratelli named new Paterson (NJ) bishop

PATERSON, N.J. -- The Most Rev. Arthur J. Serratelli, a Newark native with a command of Spanish and a preference for conciliation over confrontation, was named the seventh bishop of Paterson on Tuesday by Pope John Paul II.

The pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Frank J. Rodimer, 76, who had passed the Vatican's mandatory retirement age for bishops more than a year ago. Serratelli, an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Newark, where he served as vicar general, did not announce any sweeping reforms, saying he wants to listen and learn from the diocese's 111 parishes.

But at a news conference at the Cathedral of St. John The Baptist, the 60-year-old Serratelli hinted he would seek to find common ground in contentious issues roiling the church, including politicians who support abortion rights (and parishioners who vote for them), the ongoing fallout from the clergy sex abuse scandal and other points of disagreement. He also said the central tenets of Catholicism are non-negotiable.

Just because Newsday says it doesn't make it so. Let's wait and see what the new bishop does.

"Serratelli hinted" doesn't mean anything to anyone but the reporter. If Serratelli had said anything concrete, there would have been a direct quote.

From the Diocese of Paterson website:

Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli
Bishop Serratelli was born in Newark, on April 18, 1944 and attended local grammar schools, Seton Hall Prep and Seton Hall University, where he studied philosophy. He studied for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, NJ.

After ordination, he served as a parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish, Belleville. He then joined the faculty of Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, where he taught systematic theology from 1970-1972. After that, he returned to studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and the Pontifical Gregorian University. Upon his return to the Archdiocese of Newark, he served as a professor of Sacred Scripture at Immaculate Conception Seminary. In 1997, Fr. Serratelli was named rector of St. Andrew College Seminary. In 1998, Fr. Serratelli became Msgr. Serratelli when His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, elevated him to the position of Prelate of Honor.

He was named Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark in June of 2000.

Bishops of New Jersey. "As another election approaches, we, the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey, reach out to encourage you to vote and to exercise that right in accordance with consciences formed in the light of your faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church. As bishops, we are aware of our primary responsibility as teachers of faith and morals to help people follow God's laws and do His will...we consistently call upon all candidates to exercise genuine moral leadership by supporting laws that promote respect for the human person at all stages of life from conception to natural death. We also call upon Catholic voters to use their voting privilege to reflect a choice of candidates who respect and sustain the dignity of all human life." Signed: Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Camden, Bishop Frank Rodimer of Paterson, Bishop John Smith (Apostolic Administrator of Metuchen) of Trenton, Bishop Andrew Pataki of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, Bishop Joseph Younan of Our Lady of Deliverance Diocese, Auxiliary Bishop David Arias of Newark, Auxiliary Bishop Paul Bootkoski of Newark, Auxiliary Bishop Charles McDonnell of Newark, Auxiliary Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Newark.

He may be a good guy. I only know what is written in the piece.

In response to a question on whether he would deny communion to politicians who support abortion rights as well as individual Catholics who vote for them, Serratelli said he would wait for the results of a United States bishops' report on the issue before deciding. "

But I have a personal sense that most bishops are not thinking of making the altar a place of confrontation," Serratelli said.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.