First Bishop Listecki for Milwaukee
Seven months after Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan left for New York, the Vatican on Saturday announced his successor, naming Bishop Jerome Edward Listecki of La Crosse as the new spiritual leader of Southeastern Wisconsin’s nearly 700,000 Catholics.
Second Bishop Rhoades to South Bend
The Holy See Press Office in Rome issued a statement today announcing the replacement of retiring Bishop John M. D’Arcy. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania will take over, according to the statement.
I don’t know much about Bishop Rhoades, but I do know this. He was among the 75 Bishops who stood up and denounced Notre Dame for conferring honors on President Obama. Good news, that.
We will see how this all turns out.
November 14, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Bishop Rhodes is former rector of Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD.
November 14, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Thank God for Milwaukee (my diocese)! Although I'm very slightly disappointed that Joseph Perry (Auxiliary in Chicago and a priest of Milwaukee) isn't coming back…
November 14, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Bishop Rhodes has been a wonderful Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg for the past 3 years. He is strongly pro-life, leading prayers at the local abortion clinics. Bishop Rhodes was responsible for moving the Tabernacle back to the center of the altar in the Cathedral. He is very supportive of the Traditional Latin Mass, inviting the FSSP to Harrisburg to lead our TLM community, and leading the prayers in Latin for the enclosure of a new community of cloistered Carmelite Nuns in Elysburg, PA. He is fluent in Spanish, having been the Pastor of a downtown parish before becoming record of Mount St. Mary's. If you want to know more about his heart, please read the pastoral letter at
http://www.hbgdiocese.org/. We are blessed to have had him as our Bishop, and regret only that it was for so brief a time.
November 14, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Oh, man, I don't want to lose Bishop Rhoades.
November 14, 2009 at 4:22 pm
A correction to my earlier comment: Bishop Rhoades (correct spelling) was appointed Bishop of Harrisburg on October 14, 2004, and has been a wonderful Bishop for *5* years!
November 15, 2009 at 2:08 am
What Michael and Rachel said.
Kevin Rhoades has been a blessing here in Harrisburg. Seminary enrollment is way up. He reintroduced the permanent diaconate the previous bishop tried to get rid of through natural attrition.
Within a year of his episcopal ordination I knew he would be moving on sooner or later. Probably a good pick to babysit Jenkins at the Dome.
I will be surprised if he does not get a pallium and maybe a scarlet wardrobe by the time he has to submit his resignation in 23 years.
November 15, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Darn. I was praying for Bishop Rhoades to be appointed to the Diocese of Scranton. O Holy Father, please do not forget about us here.
November 16, 2009 at 8:45 pm
What difference does it make? They're all bad bishops. None of them enforce liturgical instructions from the Holy See.
November 16, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Somewhat refreshing to hear such positive comments on a Bishop. I do hope he keeps an eye on the Notre Dame situation. As an alumnus, I would hope keeping our Catholic identity be paramount as excellence in academics and of course athletics. Prayerfully, the Bishop and Father Jenkins can have a "beer summit".
November 17, 2009 at 7:58 pm
So Bishop Rhoades opposed the honor of President Obama by Notre Dame… and the Vatican sends him to South Bend!
Well played, Holy Father. Well played.