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	Kelly's Successor Met with Praise By Deborah Yetter The Courier-Journal [Kentucky] June 13, 2007 http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/NEWS01/706131118 Joseph E. Kurtz was invited to come to town the night before he was to be introduced as Louisville's new archbishop -- but he was busy. He'd promised to visit a Tennessee prison. "He said I can't come up -- I have a commitment to these prisoners," recounted retiring Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly. Instead, Kurtz got up at 4 a.m. yesterday to make the four-hour drive through the mountains of east Tennessee into Kentucky. "It's a beautiful trip," Kurtz explained in an appearance at the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville just hours after Pope Benedict XVI named him to replace Kelly. Those who know him say the incident illustrates the dedication that Kurtz, 60, brings to his 35-year career, first as a priest in his home state of Pennsylvania and more recently, as a bishop in Knoxville. "That sounds like him," said the Rev. Vann Johnston, chancellor of the Knoxville diocese, who said Kurtz frequently visits inmates, celebrates Mass at prisons and drives himself around the 36-county diocese, visiting parishes. Accolades flowed yesterday for Kurtz, who will be formally installed Aug. 15 as head of the Louisville Archdiocese of about 200,000 Catholics. Colleagues and parishioners from his East Tennessee diocese of 50,000 described him as gentle, personable, devout and honest. "He's a super nice guy," said the Rev. Joseph Brando, pastor of St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. "Great listener. Very approachable. Very interested in family. We don't want to give him to you." The most glowing praise came from Kelly, who said Kurtz was his first choice as a successor, calling him "a man of energy, strong conviction and brains." "I'm awfully glad he's been chosen by the Holy Father," Kelly said. "He'll be a splendid leader." The son of a coal miner and the grandson of East European immigrants, Kurtz also is described as humble and unassuming. Though he spent years helping care for a disabled brother, George, who died five years ago, he downplayed his role when asked about it. "I think he did most of the work," Kurtz said of his brother. Kurtz said yesterday that his immediate goal in Louisville is to listen to the priests, deacons, women religious and parishioners, to learn about the needs of the archdiocese. But Kurtz acknowledged that one immediate goal in Louisville will be to work to encourage more people to enter religious life -- something he has had success with in Knoxville. Louisville, like many dioceses, is experiencing a shortage of priests as more retire and fewer are ordained. Knoxville, though, has increased its number of priests, rising from 26 when the diocese was established in 1988 to the current 55, Johnston said. The Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit author and longtime observer of the Catholic church in America, said Kelly's endorsement is significant and suggests Kelly feels Kurtz is best suited to carry on his work of 25 years. "Kelly will be a hard act to follow," Reese said. "He's a good preacher. He's personable, pastoral and smart." Kelly leaves after settling dozens of legal claims by adults who said they were sexually abused as children by priests -- most of it occurring before he was appointed archbishop in 1982. The church has paid out nearly $30 million in settlements, legal costs and other expenses, forcing it to cut costs and reduce staff. Kelly has been criticized for not acting more swiftly to remove priests accused of abuse. He also has been praised for presiding over the restoration of the Cathedral of the Assumption, promoting lay ministry and improving relations with other faiths. Kurtz said yesterday that he came to know Kelly through their work together in Kentucky and Tennessee, which are joined in a single province or region. He praised Kelly for his leadership and "pastoral charity." As archbishop, Kurtz said he hopes to follow that example and said, "I have a great passion for the gift of life, the gift of family, for those seeking to serve those who are poor." Miriam Corcoran, a sister of Charity of Nazareth in Louisville for more than 60 years, said she is glad to hear of Kurtz's commitment to the poor -- also a priority for her religious order. Plus, "He's 60 and it seems he would be here awhile and have time to effect policies that support people in need." Kurtz said he also is looking forward to working with Louisville's growing Hispanic Catholic population and said he has studied Spanish to help him better serve Hispanic parishioners in Knoxville. Kurtz serves as chairman of the Committee on Marriage and Family for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has opposed same-sex marriage and promoted traditional marriage between a man and woman. Yesterday, Kurtz said he doesn't see that as a stance against gay and lesbian Catholics. Rather, he said, it is simply affirming Catholic teachings that recognize the sanctity of marriage and children. He also touched on the subject of clergy sexual abuse, which affected his diocese in Knoxville as well, calling it a "crime and sin of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse." Kurtz said that in Louisville he will strive to "gain the confidence of the faithful" by being open and honest and working to prevent abuse. Advocates for victims of clergy sexual abuse in Louisville said they would like to see Kurtz do more to help those affected by past abuse. The archdiocese "has done some very good things in regards to the sexual-abuse crisis, but there's still a lot of unfinished business," said Vince Grenough, a leader of the Louisville chapter of the advocacy group Voice of the Faithful. Kurtz holds a master's in social work and said yesterday that social services and charitable work remain priorities for him. He is active in Catholic Charities in Knoxville and serves on the bishops' board of Catholic Relief Services, one of the world's largest relief agencies. He said one of the church's most important roles is to help the less fortunate -- starting with his own grandparents when they came to America. "This is what the church has done for generations," he said. Deborah Yetter (502) 582-4228: dyetter@courier-journal.com
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