By Patty Machelor
Arizona Daily Star
November 17, 2010
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_efc42a16-3448-5020-baf2-58bae073a332.html
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| Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson prays during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. |
Local religious leaders and border activists expressed surprise and disappointment but also relief Tuesday when Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas was not elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In what's being called an upset, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan was elected instead. There's been only one other time, in the 1960s, when an outgoing vice president has not become president.
In a statement Tuesday, Kicanas said serving as vice president was a "marvelous experience" and he respects the bishops' decision.
Dolan received 54 percent of the vote to 46 percent for Kicanas on the third round of voting.
"I'm just happy that we will have more of him now," said Sister Rina Cappellazzo, vicar for Vowed Religious with the Tucson Diocese. "I work with him very closely and I find him an absolute gem and a real source of inspiration. He's extremely supportive of anything I do."
Nicholas Falzone, a Tucson Catholic was disappointed.
"I think he's done a good job here in Tucson, and not under the best of circumstances, and has been a voice of moderation," Falzone said.
"He's more to the center than most of the Conference of Catholic Bishops."
A Tucson attorney who represented church sex-abuse victims, as well as immigration cases on behalf of No More Deaths, agreed.
"He's been a wonderful influence in Tucson, and he was a very positive influence on the abuse cases," William Walker said. "He's also been a real spokesperson for a consolidated approach to immigration."
Speculation on Tuesday's vote includes Kicanas being too moderate on issues central to Catholic teaching, such as abortion.
While he urged Arizonans to vote against gay marriage and participates in anti-abortion events, he failed to speak out when President Obama, who supports abortion rights, spoke at the University of Notre Dame.
Kicanas also has been widely criticized online and by victims' rights groups for how he handled the case of Chicago pedophile priest Daniel McCormack, who is now in jail. Kicanas was rector of Mundelein Seminary in Illinois, where McCormack studied and was ordained.
Retired Monsignor Arsenio Carrillo was surprised by Kicanas' defeat.
"He would have been a great president of the conference. He's very intelligent and very outgoing," he said. "I'm glad for the diocese, though. It will give him more time here."
Laurie Olson, president of Catholic reform group, Call to Action-Tucson, called Tuesday's outcome "a shame."
"Lord knows Call to Action-Tucson has had its differences with Bishop Kicanas. However, he has a very pastoral approach to hot-button issues such as abortion and he doesn't use the Eucharist as a weapon," she said, referring to Catholic politicians being denied Communion when they fail to follow the church's political leanings.
Fernanda Morillon, interim director with Borderlinks, said she has been impressed with Kicanas' efforts to work with Mexican bishops in resolving immigration issues.
"He spoke very well and very beautifully about bringing social justice to the border," she said. "He seemed very compassionate."
Contact reporter Patty Machelor at pmachelor@azstarnet.com or 806-7754.
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