Detroit archdiocese responds to Gumbleton removal stories
Print Friendly VersionBy DENNIS CODAY
NCR staff writer
After yesterday’s story about Bishop Thomas Gumbleton was posted to the NCRcafe.org, Ned McGrath, the director of communications for the Detroit archdiocese, contacted NCR with a few concerns.
He wanted to ensure that what he had said in a previous interview was not misunderstood and that the archdiocese’s position be given equal space in the story.
In an e-mail message, McGrath asked that it be made clear that he had not said that Gumbleton’s removal from St. Leo’s Parish was a matter of canon law.
“I never said it there was a canonical law regarding how auxiliary bishops are assigned following their resignations,” he wrote.
“What I said was that in my brief, personal survey of major archdioceses and dioceses, I couldn’t find one assigned in that capacity. I left open the option that there could be an exception. I just wanted to be clear that if there was, I didn’t personally know who that bishop was or where he served.
“The canonical rule about submitting your retirement as a bishop says it must be done at age 75. That’s not ‘forcing’ someone out of office,” McGrath wrote.
“In the Vatican’s response to Bishop Gumbleton, he was told -- and [Detroit’s Cardinal Adam Maida] was advised -- that ‘in keeping with his resignation, he was to give up any pastoral office such as a pastor of a parish.’ That’s not canon law. And I didn’t say it was. But it is what was communicated to Bishop Gumbleton last year by the Congregation for Bishops.”
McGrath said that Gumbleton could not put conditions on his resignation. “With all due respect to the wonderful work and advocacy [Gumbleton] has done over the years, he’s not in a position (nor is any other auxiliary bishop) to put ‘conditions’ on the pope. Cardinal Maida had to -- and would want to -- follow the Holy Father’s lead, no matter what anybody says, no matter what ‘theory’ is put forward.”
McGrath said he had viewed the video clip of Gumbleton at his last Mass as administrator of the parish, which is on NCRcafe.org. “I’m at a loss to explain the bishop’s statement to the St. Leo community on Sunday, the 21st, that he was ‘surprised’ by the letter or the transition in leadership at St. Leo’s.”
McGrath offered this sequence of events:
“In a meeting earlier this month, the bishop and Cardinal Maida agreed that the 21st would be his last Mass as administrator. Last Wednesday, the 17th, one of our other auxiliary bishops met with Bishop Gumbleton to discuss the transition. Last Friday, the 19th, a personal letter confirming the timetable -- and thanking Bishop Gumbleton for his years of service to the archdiocese and the parish -- was hand-delivered and received by the bishop at St. Leo’s.
“Several weeks ago, Bishop Gumbleton requested that there be some form of direct communication to the parish from the archdiocese. Honoring that request, 300 copies of the cardinal’s letter were shared with the parish council and the parish staff and other interested parishioners on Saturday, the 20th, at 1 p.m. It was read to them as well. One of our auxiliary bishops and a facilitator from our Parish Life & Services Department spent two hours meeting with about 40 people at St. Leo’s. Although invited to participate, Bishop Gumbleton chose to recuse himself from that meeting. He did not attend.”
McGrath also noted that Gumbleton “himself began clustering discussions last summer with neighboring parishes. (Note: As it happens, the parish is not being clustered in this arrangement. It is receiving another admistrator.)”
McGrath said that additional information about Gumbleton and the changes at St. Leo’s can be found on the archdiocesan Web site: www.AODcommunications.org.
McGrath also pointed out that the stories posted to NCRcafe.org this week did not report that Gumbleton is longtime, regular contributer to NCR. Gumbleton contributes a weekly feature, “The Peace Pulpit,” to NCRcafe.org, which for the past five years have been transcriptions of homilies he delivers on Sundays at St. Leo Parish.
NCR and Bishop Gumbleton expect “The Peace Pulpit” to continue as a feature on the Web site.
St. Catherine is a very good
St. Catherine is a very good example of what I described. The bishop is certainly not in the same league or line as St. Catherine.
I'm assuming that you're
I'm assuming that you're responding to my posting, kglendalow.
So I assume that the St. Catherine to whom you refer here is Catherine of Siena?
Can you please explain how she is "a very good example of what I described"?
And how Bishop Gumbleton is "not in the same league"?
I'd welcome some specifics. Otherwise, I'm a bit confused by your statements. Thanks for clarifying.
William D. Lindsey
I'm quite certain that the
I'm quite certain that the Church will not canonize this person. There is a serious lack of humility as is exampled by his failure to display obedience. I speak not of the lap-dog, toady obedience that shills accuse the faithful of, but the obedience as exampled by the many great saints of the Church. Obedience to the Church, its teachings and tradition, and obedience to superiors when it does not conflict with the dictates of God. And we must all remember, that obedience has a much deeper meaning than we are apt to give to it at this time. No, the bishop is not of the same fabric as the saints. If you think he is, go read more about St. Clare and her struggles - how she handled her disagreements with the hierarchy of the Church.
Kglendalow, you say, "If you
Kglendalow, you say, "If you think he is, go read more about St. Clare and her struggles - how she handled her disagreements with the hierarchy of the Church."
It is also instructive to read St. Catherine of Siena's letters to Pope Urban VI, or to recall her visit to Pope Gregory XI in 1376, in which she told him he had no business moving from Rome to Avignon.
As the sketch of St. Catherine of Siena's life by Mary Ann Sullivan on the Dominican Central website states, "St. Catherine of Siena deliberately told popes, queens and kings how to behave. She was spontaneous, unafraid of authority and fearless in the face of death."
In 1999, Pope John Paul II made Catherine of Siena one of Europe's patron saints.
William D. Lindsey
kglenalow AMEN! and AMEN!!
kglenalow
AMEN! and AMEN!! Well Said.
Peace to all.
Ohevin
I love anyone who uses toady
I love anyone who uses toady in ordinary discourse. She canonized Joan.
The Church did indeed
The Church did indeed canonize St. Joan. Perhaps you should explain the association you have in mind between the saint and the bishop? I for one am at a loss to see the parallel. Bishop Cauchon denied Joan's appeals to the Council of Basel and the pope, which should have stopped his proceeding. This appeal was denied because Bishop Cauchon was an English partisan, not because he believed he was protecting the Church.
I hate to somewhat disagree
I hate to somewhat disagree with this, but it's not like every European nobelman didn't know who Joan of Arc was. That's one of the things that made her story interesting. Her exploits were known far and wide, within the context of their occurence, because she was such a threat to the nobility of Europe. Even with the problems of communication inherent at this time, she was a lightening rod and her story spread far and wide. It was a very scary story about a young peasant woman who somehow managed to take a disorganized country and have it rise up and defeat a superior English Army. Gosh, what if she could then mobilize the peasants into a revolt against their betters? Nobody in Europe whose authority was based on class wanted her to succeed except, of course, the dilletante French nobility.
Her execution could have been stopped if the Papacy had wanted it to be stopped. Well they did, AFTER SHE WAS DEAD and France was deemed to need a Catholic heroine. No, I don't buy that Cauchon prevented her from appealing to Rome. She shouldn't have had to if Rome had cared. They knew and they also knew she was a huge threat. What if her visions of ST Michael, and St. Catherine, and St. Margaret started to give her advice on how to run the church, rather than the French Army?
Bishop Gumbleton is a legend
Bishop Gumbleton is a legend in his own time -- a saint of our day. As is the custom, the Church will not immediately comprehend the beauty and authenticity of this man. The way in which this good Bishop was treated speaks volumes about the pathetic, care-less style of leadership in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Hmmmmmm....sounds to me that
Hmmmmmm....sounds to me that the Bishop has been less than forthcoming regarding this letter.....the congregation receives it on Saturday and he receives it as well. He chose not to go to the meeting where the letter would be read. He gives the impression in the video that he was surprised by the letter, when, in fact, he requested it. Notice how he says he didn't "read" it until Sunday? Notice how he didn't say he only received it Sunday? Yet this is the impression he gives.
Bishop Gumbleton says he was "forced" into retirement. Well, yeah. If the Pope says he must retire, then he must retire. If the Pope says NO, then you must continue to work. That's how it works. He very much makes it sound like he is being victimized. Clearly he will continue to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments for as long as he can, but he makes it sound like he can't even do that.
Hermeneutic of Continuity
The second side of the
The second side of the story. Hmmmmmm. Me now thinkst the Bishop has protested too much.
peace to all on.
Ohevin
I have known Bishop
I have known Bishop Gumbleton for almost 40 years. Whenever I am in Detroit, I attend St. Leo's Parish. It is clear to me that the reason Bishop Gumbleton is being prevented from continuing as pastor at St. Leo's has to do with a vindictive "punishment." What do you expect from a toady like Ned McGrath?
I think Bishop Gumbleton is
I think Bishop Gumbleton is a remarkably fine servant leader. I viewed the video and read other material pertaining to this whole event. It seems to me the bishop is personally disappointed that he will be unable to live among the people of St. Leo's for the rest of his life. I can't blame him for having such feelings, nor can I fault those at St. Leo's who are saddened by the loss of such a friend and pastor. Resigning from office at age 75 is the law. The Pope (nor the local bishop in the case of the resignation of a pastor)is under no obligation to accept the resignation. In this case, both Pope Benedict and Cardinal Maida accepted Bishop Gumbleton's resignation from the pastoral offices of auxiliary bishop and administrator of St. Leo's. He can't be surprised about that unless he is naive. Would it have been a wonderful gesture for Cardinal Maida to have said to him, "Tom, I'd be happy to have you go on living at St. Leo's but I'm going to assign a new administrator"? Sure it would. But he didn't. End of story.
McGrath doesn't determine
McGrath doesn't determine his retirement. The Pope does.
Hermeneutic of Continuity
How old is the pope?
How old is the pope?
Frannie, that question is
Frannie, that question is entirely beside the point. There are rules and procedures in Canon Law. The College of Cardinals and the Holy Spirit decided to elect Benedict as Pope. This, according to Canon Law, is the procedure for electing the Pope. Furthermore, Canon Law dictates that Bishops must submit letters of resignation at 75 and it is the job of the Pope, who was elected via an entirely different set of procedures, to accept or reject the resignation.
In any organization there are rules and procedures. In the army, if you are given a command by a superior, you must follow that command even if you are 20 years older than your superior. In government, the legislative and executive branches must accept the rulings of the Supreme Court.
Anyway, not to belabor the point, but the question here is not one of age. Those above Bishop Gumbleton wanted him to step down. You can disagree with that ruling, but we are Catholics and must ultimately accept their authority unless it asks us to do something immoral (maybe there are other conditions that I don't know about?_
Also, I don't think we went to HS together b/c I am significantly younger than you. However, I do know of you because I recently graduated from Holy Cross in Worcester.
klisa I am sure God will
klisa
I am sure God will work "work more wonders through Bishop". God's way's are not our ways...humanly speaking it is not easy. But I believe that Bishop will be a lot closer now and more involved than he ever was. Nothing will separate us from the love of God. Not even the very "canon law" made by men.