A Man for All Seasons

My first ad limina visit was with Pope John Paul II in the spring of 1998, one year after my ordination as a bishop and my appointment as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Our chief shepherd then, Bishop Donald Wuerl, was responsible for presenting the report to the Holy Father. He also was responsible for answering any questions the pope might have about our diocese. Bishop William Winter and myself were also privileged to be presented to the pope by Bishop Wuerl.

During the course of 10 days, we were in close proximity to the pope. Clearly, the most memorable part of the visit was to be invited to the Holy Father’s apartment for a lunch that lasted every bit of three hours. While I really couldn’t tell you what we ate that day, I remember ever so well the experience of being at the pope’s table with 16 other bishops from our region of the country and with the pope himself.

One of the bishops, a very bright, gifted and talkative individual from another part of the United States, took to telling the pope of the many accomplishments of his diocese. The pope listened politely, looked at the rest of us around the table, and with a twinkle in his eye and a gentle smile on his face pointed to the talkative and proud bishop and said: “A man for all seasons.” We all laughed! Before Pope John Paul used that term, many of you will remember an award-winning play and film in the 1960s titled “A Man for All Seasons.” The film was about another outstanding churchman — St. Thomas More.

Bittersweet emotions

I couldn’t help but think about that comment of Pope John Paul and the movie that inspired it as I sat down to muse about, and be grateful for, Bishop Paul J. Bradley, our auxiliary bishop who is set to become the bishop of Kalamazoo, Mich., on the first Friday of June. In a very real way, he is in a very humble way “A Man for All Seasons.”

Bishop Bradley is to so many of us and for so many of us “A Man for All Seasons.”

When Bishop Bradley was called at the beginning of Holy Week to serve as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, there was no question that he would say “yes.” He knew that it would mean he would be leaving Pittsburgh — family and friends that he loves so dearly and has served with such devotion since his ordination to the priesthood 38 years ago. But he knew just as well that he was being asked to go where God intends him to be now. “A Man for All Seasons.”

My first reaction when Bishop Bradley told me of his appointment was more fearful than his as I tried to wrap my brain about the reality that I would no longer have his wisdom as general secretary and vicar general. Since my returning back to Pittsburgh and being installed as your bishop on Sept. 28, 2007, Bishop Bradley has been at my side, my right hand not just in matters of administration, but as my friend and closest adviser. “A Man for All Seasons.”

But since my installation here in Pittsburgh, I suspected that we might lose Bishop Bradley some day. He had served so capably as general secretary to Bishop Wuerl and as diocesan administrator between Bishop Wuerl’s appointment to Washington, D.C., and my appointment back home to Pittsburgh. There was little doubt that such a capable bishop would be serving as ordinary of a diocese. And it is the faithful of the Diocese of Kalamazoo who are being so blessed with “A Man for All Seasons.”

Since the announcement was made of Bishop Paul’s appointment, I have on a number of occasions used the word “bittersweet.” For me personally — and for so many in the Diocese of Pittsburgh — that seems the perfect word, a word describing when great joy intermingles with great sadness. Joy for the faithful of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, sadness for a friend leaving us.

Bishop Paul is blessed with a shepherd’s heart. In these nearly two years working, praying and ministering together, I have seen a bishop who is, as his motto states, “Waiting in Joyful Hope.” He is a bishop of joy. He is “A Man for All Seasons.”

“All must be loved”

On the anniversary of his ordination as bishop, St. Augustine, who is the patron saint of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, spoke to his people about the role of a bishop. Though writing in the early fifth century, it has a modern ring to it:

“The faint-hearted cheered up, the weak supported ... the unlearned need to be taught, the desperate set on their feet, those engaged in quarrels reconciled; the needy have to be helped, the oppressed to be liberated, the good to be given your backing, the bad to be tolerated; all must be loved.”

“All must be loved” — St. Augustine’s great conclusion is Bishop Paul’s strength and sustenance. He has the gift of love, and he will bring that gift to the Diocese of Kalamazoo, its clergy, religious and faithful, as he brought that gift to us for so many years. As the Holy Father recognized in his appointment, the church universal is blessed to have a man of Bishop Bradley’s strength, faith and love serving in apostolic ministry as “A Man for All Seasons.”

“Where I am terrified by what I am for you,” St. Augustine said on the anniversary of his ordination as bishop, “I am given comfort by what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, with you, after all, I am a Christian. The first is the name of an office undertaken, the second a name of grace; that one means danger, this one salvation.”

I will deeply miss my brother Paul, as will the staff of pastoral administration and the clergy, religious and laity who have been extraordinarily blessed to have worked with him. Our brother Paul fits so clearly the definition of love so described by his namesake, the apostle Paul. His is a love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” “A Man for All Seasons.”

So we share together our bittersweet emotions. The faithful of the Diocese of Kalamazoo are “Waiting in Joyful Hope” for the installation of their new bishop on June 5. We, in turn, will take the time to express how much we will miss him, how much we love him, how much we honor and appreciate him for all he has done for us and for the Church of Pittsburgh.

Yes, through tears and laughter, through times of plenty and want, through thick and thin, Bishop Paul has been there for us — as bishop, as pastor, as priest, as friend, as soul-partner, as inspiration — and yes, as “A Man for All Seasons.”