Meeting the bishop for the first time...

Another highlight of the seminarian retreat was meeting my bishop for the first time (here is a picture of him ordaining soon-to-be-Fr. Jason Blahnik to the holy priesthood). I had a short time to talk with him one on one, and look forward to his promised visit to the North American College.

I do not know him well, but I am confident that in two years I will be able to make the three priestly promises to him at my ordination: obedience, celibacy, and to pray the liturgy of the hours. How can I be so confident when I do not even know him? Well simply, it is not about his personality, but about his office as bishop. If I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, that means he is lord of history including the history of the diocese of Green Bay. I make the promises to a bishop, who ever that bishop may happen to be.

That being said, after just a short conversion and knowing what others, who I trust, have told me about him, I can say with confidence that the diocese will greatly benefit from having him here. Where we are weak as a diocese, he brings strengths.

If you get a chance to meet him ask him about the founding of Wyoming Catholic College. If similar things happen here under his pastoral care, we will be a power-house of Catholicism.