Big News for Diocese of Baker!

Well, it looks like the long-awaited news of a new bishop or the Diocese of Baker is on the horizon!  [See "New Bishop of the Diocese of Baker"]

First, this email surfaced and was sent to me last night – it appears to have been widely broadcast:

LITURGY COMMITTEE

Fr. Radloff told me tonight that the new bishop will be ordained and installed in our new church BEFORE Easter. The Papal Nuncio, most likely a cardinal, several bishops, and lots of clergy will be coming.  I'll spare you the other details until Tuesday.

This is going to be a full court press by all of us associated with liturgy, facilities, and other operations. 

Still…

Although that news sounds wonderful, the probability of a new bishop being named, ordained, and installed here before Easter 2012 is very, very, very low. That's just over thirty days away, and they certainly wouldn't try to accomplish that major feat during Holy Week – which narrows the time-frame even more.

Besides, if the candidate isn't already a bishop, he’ll need enough advance notice to allow him time to acquire all the necessary episcopal accoutrements (e.g., cappa magna), have his coat of arms designed, send out the invitations, etc.

Without further confirmation, this "news" out of St. Francis of Assisi parish belongs in the same display stand as the National Enquirer.

But…wait! What’s this I hear? Further rumblings…

A trusted source has told me that another rumor is circulating: that the new bishop will be in Central Oregon this week, and there will be a press conference at which time his identity will be revealed.  The ordination, this source believes, would be sometime in May.

And…from another source...well, despite efforts to keep things under wraps, it seems to be common knowledge at this point that the press conference will be on Thursday, March 8. Two days from now!

Whether or not the candidate is already a bishop remains a mystery.

Here are my thoughts, though: transferring just about any bishop in the US to the Diocese of Baker would amount to a demotion. Baker is one of the largest dioceses in the nation, geographically, with one of the smallest populations of Catholics. In other words, we’re definitely “small potatoes”. In fact, before the current rumors surfaced, one source had been told by officials in Rome that our diocese would probably be bumped to the bottom of the list for getting a bishop – because we’re so small and unimportant.

My personal hope is that we will get a young, freshly-minted bishop who is good, holy, and orthodox; who is unafraid of speaking and teaching the Truth; who understands the liturgy and will seek to cultivate awe and reverence in the Ordinary Form, and who will actively promote and encourage the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

Well...maybe not THAT young...!

See also "I've Never Seen A Purple Cow...Or Bishop" 
"Diocese of Baker Under Attack: The Skylstad Agenda" 
"Bishop Skylstad, There Oughta Be a Law...Oh...Wait"

Pray! 

Deus, qui pastor aeternus,

gregem tuum assidua custodia gubernas,
eum immensa tua pietate concedas Ecclesiae (Bakeriensis) pastorem,
qui tibi sanctitate placeat,

et vigili nobis sollicitudine prosit. Per Dominum.

Lord God, you are our eternal shepherd and guide.
In your mercy grant the Church (of Baker) a shepherd 
who will walk in your ways
and whose watchful care will bring us your blessing.

We ask this through Our Lord…