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	Bishop Harrington Timeline Post-Bulletin January 8, 2008 http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=322357&z=2 A look at Bishop Bernard Harrington's years at the Diocese of Winona: 1999: The auxiliary bishop from the Archdiocese of Detroit is ordained Bishop of the Diocese of Winona. 2000: Announces a parish realignment plan that furthers church "clustering" in response to an ongoing priest shortage. 2002: The sex-abuse crisis hits the U.S. Catholic Church. "I am concerned for those whose faith is shaken," says Harrington, who calls for a day of fasting and prayer "for the sins of sexual abuse." 2003: Reveals the diocese's insurance companies have paid $3.7 million in the past 15 years resulting from abuse claims, with most of the money paid before 1993 in a case against "one accused perpetrator." He also says the diocese paid $1.7 million in legal costs and settlements in the past 15 years, most of that resulting from claims against the same perpetrator. 2004: Amid a heated presidential election, Harrington says Catholics who support abortion rights should not step forward for communion. He stops short of repeating threats made by other bishops, however, to publicly deny the sacrament to politicians who support abortion rights. 2005: Joins the last group of U.S. bishops who visit Pope John Paul II before the pontiff dies. 2006: Joins Minnesota bishops in supporting a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. 2007: Preparing for retirement, he sets goals that include recruiting priests and reaching out to teens and Hispanics.
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