Hey, he retires next February. Pray for us to get Chaput or Olmsted.
What a way to go out...not with a reputation for holiness, but with an aggressive, hard-sell fund-raising campaign for an unprecedented $70 million, not giving any details why we need the money or how they will spend it, but insisting people fork it over during the country’s worse recession in 35 years.
He is pressuring the priests severely too, it’s all they talk about, “Capital Campaign, Capital Campaign, Capital Campaign.” I’m sick of it, the strong arm tactics border on unethical (soliciting parish records on individuals, etc), and they won’t get a dime from me beyond my normal donation. I feel that as a matter of principle.
It would be neat to get one of those heavy-hitter bishops like you mention, but I believe Portland will be given to a smaller bishop for whom it’s a “step up.” Let’s just hope he’s Catholic...ya know?!?
Hey Guys:
I may have missed in the thread but who are we talking about here. My guess it must be a major ArchDiocese if you are hoping for Abp Chaput-Denver or Bishop Olmested of Pheonix, which I think may now be an ArchDiocese as well.