Continuing Bill’s legacy

Continuing Bill’s legacy

From a “sow’s ear to a silk purse” or is it “you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear”? A few days after our beloved bishop’s sad and sudden death due to cancer I find myself writing to you no longer as only the parish priest of Boolaroo, Warners Bay and Booragul, but as the Diocesan Administrator. I feel a bit like that “sow’s ear” on a very steep learning curve.

I feel privileged to be, for now holding this position and as I note, “warming” the seat for whomever will follow as the ninth Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle.

I was welcomed to the Diocese some seven years ago and I have found a lovely home here. Originally from the Archdiocese of Hobart, I first met the people and priests of this Diocese when I served as a Military Chaplain on RAAF Base Williamtown in 2001 and 2002. A highlight of my time in the RAAF was working overseas serving in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

I will be forever grateful for the pilgrimages I enjoyed with Bishop Bill, both the World Youth Day to Poland in 2016 as chaplain and “Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus” in Israel and the West Bank in 2019, as a pilgrim with our Catholic Schools Office. All of which were life-changing in too many ways to count. Bishop Bill and I had an opportunity to concelebrate Mass in the tomb where Jesus is reported to have been laid. You never forget those moments. However, what the Diocesan Administrator does ensure is that the Diocese continues doing all the great work that has begun under Bishop Bill’s time as bishop and, ensuring something of that wonderful legacy continues.

The death of a bishop, even one where the bishop has been unwell such as Bill, is like any death in a family. It comes as a shock even when anticipated and a bit like the anecdotal scriptural “thief in the night”. A period of mourning begins when, as a local church, we gather to celebrate and farewell our shepherd.

A bishop has many bodies that he consults, some by mandate and some by choice. They have a variety of names depending on the local culture, the current mission of a diocese and the personal vision of the bishop.

One mandated group is a body called the College of Consultors. A group drawn from the Council of Priests elected from among the presbyterate of a diocese. These priests sit in close relationship with the bishop and are consulted on some matters of particular importance to the diocese and on which their expertise and counsel is needed.

The Diocesan Administrator walks a “tight line” between doing much of what the bishop would do “to keep things going” without creating new traditions or ministries that the next shepherd might not want imposed. All those important moments such as Confirmation continue under the ministry of the Diocesan Administrator. Upon hearing of the death of a bishop in office, such as Bishop Bill’s, these priests gather to elect from among the clergy one who will act as a Diocesan Administrator. The term of office has no fixed term, it begins the moment of election and ends when a new bishop is announced and takes office.

Many of the roles and committees cease at the death or resignation of a bishop. The role of the vicar general ends and the diocesan administrator takes up the reigns. The Synod working party can continue in its work but the Synod itself stops. The Council for Mission and the Council of Priests ceases until the new bishop reappoints them or calls for nominations.

This time of waiting can be hard on a diocese as it strives to be on mission, holds in waiting and in need of a new shepherd to lead and guide it. The Diocesan Administrator is an element in making sure that this time still bears fruit.

The process for choosing a new bishop can be a lengthy one. Many are consulted in the process. Rome is listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit continually in the many voices who contribute to this process. Long before a bishop retires and even in the case of a death, the process often has already been in train with, I presume many good people contributing the names of many good people who could be chosen as shepherd. Some of those voices are bishops, some are lay leaders in varous dioceses, and some are people (lay and clerical) who for one reason or another are invited to write. The process does take time and a diocese could well be without a bishop for many months.

In my mind, Bishop Bill Wright was a good and pastoral shepherd for this Diocese. He guided us through some very difficult days and did it with great pastoral care and courage. He spoke fondly of the people and in particular the young people he met across our parishes, in our schools, and at the various events he ministered. He had a great fondness for the conversations in which he took part, particularly with our school leaders, and really enjoyed the leadership retreats he attended with them.

I hope the people of this Diocese know just how highly Bishop Bill thought of them.

One of the last gifts he received came from the Diocesan Council for Ministry with Young People. The young people sent in photos and wrote messages in thanks for his time with them as their bishop that were collated into a photo memory book. He was so grateful and moved by the memories that book represented.

He will with fondness be missed, and with much love be remembered.