Justice in His Time

Archbishop George Niederauer will preside at the afternoon liturgy in St Mary's Cathedral making a high-hat out of his vicar for clergy, with San Fran natives Bishops John Wester of Salt Lake City and Randy Calvo of Reno serving as co-consecrators. Despite his key role in Justice's last-minute placement among the pre-PopeTrip "Appointmentpalooza" slate of five nominees, the church's highest-ranking Californian -- still known among the north-state folks as "Darth Levada" -- has sent his regrets.
A son of Boston stock who marked his 40th anniversary of priesthood last weekend, the 66 year-old bishop-elect -- the 16th auxiliary in the 450,000-member archdiocese's 150-year history -- was the focus of a special edition of its weekly, Catholic San Francisco.
Alongside the usual reminiscences of friends and tribute-ads from neighboring dioceses and local parishes,

“These can be dark times,” he added. “Drugs, the economy, the decline of the family in forming serious values in their children for varying reasons, the war, the violence. I don’t think the world is going to hell in a hand basket, but we have to work together and remember that Jesus loves and calls us. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.”
Fluent in Spanish and known for his close ties to youth ministry, the goateed, youthful-looking prelate -- who paints, writes poetry and tends to roses in his spare time -- asked the people of the archdiocese to “Pray for me, be honest with me and call me forth to be of service” as he sets into his episcopal ministry.

"Bill is totally committed to Christ and the church," O'Malley added. "There is not a lazy bone in his body."
From the Golden Gate, the Express moves on to Des Moines for Bishop Richard Pates' installation tomorrow, then Denver for Friday's ordination of Auxiliary-elect Jim Conley, then to Washington for Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's 50th anniversary of priesthood Saturday night.
PHOTOS: Arne Folkedal(1); Fr Timothy Pelc(2)/Catholic San Francisco
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