On Tuesday, March 17th, Saint Patrick’s Day, I celebrated my 75th birthday and as is required by Canon Law, I submitted my resignation as the Bishop of Camden to our Holy Father, Pope Francis. He will decide when I will retire.
Usually, that happens when the Pope names a successor to the bishop who has reached the canonical age for retirement. So, I will remain as the bishop of the diocese until I hear from the Holy Father which could happen next week, or in a month or in a year from now.
Once retired, I would like to reside in a parish rectory here in the diocese where I could do priestly ministry which I love and of which I have years of experience. At retirement my title will be Bishop Emeritus. I will have no authority or responsibility for the governance of the diocese and will not interfere with the ministry of my successor.
Bishop Joseph Galante, RIP, my predecessor, taught me how to do that. After he retired on February 12th, 2013, the day of my installation as the eighth Bishop of Camden, he never interfered in the affairs of the diocese. From time to time I consulted with him about decisions that I was making in order to get his informed counsel on situations which were new to me but which he understood better than I. He was available to assist me in the ways I asked. I will do the same for whomever is the ninth Bishop of Camden, if he so requests.
These eight years in the Diocese of Camden have been happy years of many blessings of the Lord in my life. While there certainly have been challenges, the blessings outweigh the challenges. I am forever indebted to my brother priests, my closest cooperators in ministry, for their understanding, help, encouragement, and cooperation as I put my stamp on this local church. They have truly been “brothers” to me as I pray I have been to them who are my “sons” in Christ.
There are so many others to whom I am very indebted and when the date of my retirement is decided by Pope Francis I will publicly thank them. They made my ministry easier by their counsel, advice, prayers, support and sacrificial giving so much of themselves on behalf of the church of Camden.
I ask the charity of your prayers for me. You, God’s good and great people of South Jersey, inspire me each day with the power and strength of your faith in the Lord and your love for the church. God bless you and don’t forget to pray for +Dennis, who for the time being is still your bishop.
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