Dear Community of Saint Joseph's:

 

This next Tuesday the Diocese of Monterey will be celebrating the Installation of our new shepherd Bishop Richard Garcia.  If you have read the latest issue of the Diocese of Monterey's Observer you know his background and how fortunate we are to welcome him into our lives.  The consistent message one gets from everyone who knows Bishop Garcia is how warm and friendly he is.  Having met him recently, I found him gentle, attentive and eager to get to know us and become a part of our spiritual journey.  

 

I thought you might enjoy knowing a bit about how a Bishop is chosen to serve a particular diocese and lifted this entry from Father Richard McBrien's Encyclopedia of Catholicism.  

 

For the Latin Church the bishops in a province regularly discuss potential candidates for bishops and draw up a list, which they forward to the Apostolic See through the papal representative.  For the naming of a diocesan bishop the papal representative conducts an investigation into the needs of the diocese, the qualifications needed in a new bishop, and the suggestions of bishops in the province for candidates.  He does a background check on names under consideration.  In addition to the bishops of the province, selected priests and laypersons may also be consulted - all in secret and through individual contacts, not by consulting with groups of people.  The resulting list of three names, called the terna, is forwarded by the papal representative to the Congregation for Bishops, together with a profile of the diocese, background information on each individual, and the papal representative's recommendation.  The congregation reviews the candidates, consults with other departments of the Roman Curia, and makes a final recommendation to the pope.  The pope makes the final decision.  

 

The papal representative contacts the candidate to ask his acceptance of the appointment.  If the candidate consents, he must keep the matter secret until the appointment is announced at the Vatican and by the papal representative.  

 

All are invited to participate in the Eucharistic celebration of Installation at the Monterey Convention Center on Tuesday January 30 at two o'clock in the afternoon.  Arrive early to find a place to park and get a good seat.  We have been blessed in such great abundance by our shepherd Bishop Sylvester Ryan and I know in my heart that the Holy Spirit has sent another wise and faithful person to open for us new ways to experience the wonder and challenge of our God.  

 

Help me welcome Bishop Garcia by praying for him.

 

 

Father Matt Pennington

Pastor