Posted on 11/15/2009 6:44:09 PM PST by franky8
Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades as the ninth Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, transferring him from the Diocese of Harrisburg. The Vatican made this announcement at noon on Saturday, November 14 in Rome.
Five years ago, on October 14, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed Rhoades as Bishop of Harrisburg. He was ordained a Bishop and installed as Harrisburg’s ninth Bishop on December 9, 2004. He will be installed as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend on January 13, 2010.
Bishop Rhoades traveled to Fort Wayne on Friday, November 13, to be there for the announcement today. He is holding news conferences in both Fort Wayne and South Bend and also meeting with the priests of his new diocese. He will be returning to Harrisburg on Sunday,
November 15, and will hold a news conference at the Diocesan Center, 4800 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday before going to Baltimore for the fall assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In a statement to the people of his new diocese, Bishop Rhoades expressed his feelings about leaving his home diocese of Harrisburg: “Naturally, it will not be easy for me to bid farewell to my family and friends, my brother priests and the faithful of the Harrisburg diocese.
I express my deep gratitude to them for their support, prayers, and affection. It has been a tremendous blessing in my life to serve as Bishop of Harrisburg and indeed to have served as a priest of the Diocese of Harrisburg for 26 years.”
Bishop Rhoades stated that his “greatest joys as Bishop have been in being with the people, teaching the faith, and celebrating the sacraments.” He noted that he looked forward to continuing those activities in his new diocese, visiting the parishes, schools, and other
communities there. The Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend differs from the Diocese of Harrisburg in that it has five Catholic colleges and universities, including the internationally- renowned University of Notre Dame.
Bishop Rhoades noted that his only prior visit to the
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend was to attend a game between his two favorite college football teams, Notre Dame and Penn State. The Bishop celebrated Mass after that game in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
Bishop Rhoades said that he accepted the Pope’s appointment “with faith and trust in the Lord.” He asked for the people’s prayers that he might be “a true shepherd after the heart of Christ.”
So now we know who will be replacing Charlie Weis as Notre Shame’s head football coach!
For those of us not up on things is this move in any way related to issues at Notre Dame ?
Wasn’t he previously rector of a seminary? Perhaps he was chosen for his academic background. Let’s hope he can get Notre Dame to enforce Ex Corde Ecclesiae.
Bishop Rhoades was appointed pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Harrisburg, in 1990. He served there until 1995, when he accepted a full-time faculty position with Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary. While there, he taught courses in systematic theology, canon law, and Hispanic ministry.
In March 1997, he was named rector of Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, a role he fulfilled until his appointment by Pope John Paul II as Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg on October 14, 2004.
Bishop Rhoades is one of the truly great bishops in the U.S. He invited the FSSP and a traditional cloistered community of Carmelite nuns into his diocese. Before he went to teach at Mount St. Mary’s, he would lead a weekly vigil outside an abortion mill in the diocese. When he came back as bishop, one of the first things he did was lead another vigil. I know he will be missed in central PA.
They might direct some of their prayers towards the Fighting Irish. I think they might need them more.
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