Some Would Welcome New Blood, Others Won't
Democrat and Chronicle
With a reputation as a strict enforcer of the Catholic faith, Pope Benedict XVI earned the moniker "God's Rottweiler" shortly after he was elected in April 2005. That reputation has some members of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester concerned that the successor to Bishop Matthew Clark will be a man who mirrors the Pope's unwavering conservative stances on social issues. "This is a very well-educated diocese, and also an educated diocese in terms of the faith," said Mary Kate Driscoll of Rochester. "I cannot see this community surviving with some sort of totalitarian 'Because I said so,' kind of guy." But that's exactly the type of bishop that some are hoping for. Mary Quinn, 69, of Penfield said that her ideal candidate would be a "holy bishop" who defends the sacraments of the church. Quinn said that Clark had abandoned the city's children by closing so many of the diocese's schools and wasn't visible enough when it came to social issues. "Why are we here without the father today, when our church is speaking out about this?" said Quinn, who was attending a recent rally against the federal mandate that employers provide coverage for birth control for their employees. "Where is our leader, our shepherd? If (Clark) was here, more people would be here." While Clark will submit his resignation to the Vatican today, his tenure in Rochester will likely last another year or so, which is the length of time that it typically takes for the Vatican to name a successor. The list of potential candidates is highly confidential, but can include priests from the Rochester diocese and elsewhere, as well as bishops in other dioceses. Three of Rochester's eight bishops had already been consecrated as bishops prior to arriving, while five were priests that were promoted to the position upon their appointments. It is possible that a local priest could be appointed to the position, though only one of the past five bishops in Rochester — Bishop Joseph L. Hogan — served as a priest in the diocese prior to his appointment. "I have no idea who's coming, so I can't worry," said Joan Tannous of Gates, who currently serves on the diocese's Women's Commission. "But I'm hoping someone like (Clark) with his charisma, his foresight, his insight, will replace him. Someone to carry on his accomplishments. The essentials of Bishop Clark's tenure need to be continued." Contact: SDOBBIN@DemocratandChronicle.com
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