Prayer for our new Archbishop

Please pray for our bishops -- Archbishop Nienstedt as well as Archbishop Flynn and Bishop Pates.

God, eternal shepherd,
You tend Your Church in many ways and rule us with love.
You have chosen Your servant, John, to be a shepherd of Your flock.
Give him a spirit of courage and right judgment,
a spirit of knowledge and love.
By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care,
may he build Your Church as a sign of salvation for the world.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(From the Manual of Prayers, Pontifical North American College , Rome )

Remarkable Gentleness II

I was pleased to read the following letter to us from our new Coadjutor Archbishop John Neinstedt, published in today's Catholic Spirit. It evidences three traits I admire:

1. pro-active stance regarding media publicity and disinformation

2. pastoral, humble attitude toward his task as Shepherd/ Bishop

3. firm commitment to teaching the Truth of the Catholic faith

5/17/2007

A letter from Archbishop John Nienstedt

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

I realized this week that I have not communicated with you since the announcement of my appointment as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.In a very real way, I have been stunned by this nomination. I try not to listen to rumors, but inevitably I had heard that other fine and capable bishops were being considered for this office. I silently wished them well. My present diocese, I thought, was enough for me.

As you know, the local newspapers have assumed a "tabloid-like sensational" posture to my nomination, seeking to discredit me in your minds before we even meet. Personally, I find this very inhospitable and not at all in keeping with the classic Minnesota attitude of "fair play."

I ask you to keep an open mind at least until we meet, which I hope will be soon. I plan to begin making the rounds to our parishes, our Catholic schools and religious education programs as soon as the summer ends.You know, I have always considered the church a family. We may disagree about one thing or another, but we must, in the end, reconcile our wills to the mind of Christ as it comes to us through his body, the church.

A year from now, I am to be the father of this great archdiocesan family of some 837,000 members. Just the thought of such a responsibility is enough to keep me awake at night!But throughout my priesthood, I have been given other challenging to impossible assignments. In each one, I have worked as hard as I could and been as faithful as I knew how. And you know what? God has always made up for that which I lacked!

If I have not told you before, I am honored to think that one day I will be your archbishop, following in the footsteps of our wonderful, dedicated Archbishop Flynn and all his great predecessors. My vocation as your future archbishop is to love you with the love of Jesus and to speak to you constantly of his great and merciful love. I promise to do so with all the strength of my mind, heart and will.
Please pray for me during this transition. I find it very difficult to leave the people of the Diocese of New Ulm, who have been family to me. Yet, I have confidence in the Lord Jesus to lead me forward and in his Holy Mother to see that I do what her son truly desires.

God bless you!

Habemus archiepiscopum coadiutorium!

We've been praying over this in our Archdiocese for a long time. My prediction on the range of reaction to the news, reading left to right:

"The end of civilization as we know it"
to "the coming of the Kingdom."

From my vantage point: the truth is out there, somewhere in the middle, slightly to the right of center.

Details on the appointment from one of my favorite newsletters, Got Culture?:

This is a week not only of goings but also of comings.

His Holiness Benedict XVI has named the Most Reverend John Clayton Nienstedt as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

The appointment is immediate. Archbishop Nienstedt, formerly bishop of New Ulm, will serve as coadjutor ("helper") archbishop until the Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn retires, presumably upon his 75th birthday, May 2, 2008. At that time, Archbishop Nienstedt will succeed Archbishop Flynn.

A press conference is scheduled later this morning. See the links below for more information.

Announcement of the nomination (Holy See Press Office, in Italian)
Biography, curriculum vitae, and statements (Diocese of New Ulm)
Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis (I'm sure a web posting will follow the press conference)
More news (Ray Marshall's Stella Borealis Catholic Roundtable blog)

May God grant him many years!

Please pray for our bishops -- Archbishop Nienstedt as well as Archbishop Flynn and Bishop Pates.

God, eternal shepherd,
You tend Your Church in many ways and rule us with love.
You have chosen Your servant, John, to be a shepherd of Your flock.
Give him a spirit of courage and right judgment,
a spirit of knowledge and love.
By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care,
may he build Your Church as a sign of salvation for the world.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.