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May 7, 2019 | The Valley Catholic
THANK YOU BISHOP MCGRATH
From Youth in Ireland to Coadjutor Bishop
Continued from page 49
“It was very difficult, you know, for
the people, to be told that their parish
was going to close. That is the sort of
thing you have to face in an archdiocese
that is 145 years old and the population
shifts and changes over time. These
are painful things but they must be
handled with care and pastoral con-
cern,” he said.
As an example of how the church
responds to continuing change and
growing cultural diversity - and how
bishops must respond, adapt and lead
the faithful, Bishop McGrath recalled
an event at St. Anne’s.
“Nineteen years after I was first
assigned to St. Anne’s,” he said, “I re-
turned as auxiliary bishop to preside at
Confirmation. Half of the eighth grade
were confirmed and the other half, al-
most entirely Asian, mostly of Chinese
ancestry and professing nonCatholic
or non-Christian religions, were there
to support their classmates in making
their profession of faith.”
Rich in cultural diversity from
throughout the globe, the Diocese of
Photos of Bishop Patrick J. McGrath from various years as bishop.
San Jose will be a major contrast for the
new coadjutor bishop in its “newness.”
It is only 17 years-old still the youngest
of the 12 dioceses in California- and,
with approximately 50 parishes and 36
schools, has room to grow.
With about 400,000 Catholics and
more population moving into the
valley, the second Bishop of San Jose
- which Bishop McGrath will in time
become - will be concerned with cre-
ating more parishes and schools and
increasing pastoral ministry.
“I look forward to working with
Bishop Pierre in the corning months,”
he said, “and I consider my first year a
learning process. I would like to get to
know the strengths of the diocese and
the hopes and dreams of the people
here.”
How does he view his style of ad-
ministration?
“I think consultation is very im-
portant,” he said, “and I plan to do a
lot of that. In the long run, the bishop
must make decisions, but I will always
listen.”
Since June 30 of this year, when the
official announcement of his appoint-
ment to San Jose was made public,
Bishop McGrath has often exclaimed
at how delighted- even “ecstatic,” as
he said in his. Sept. 17 homily- he is to
be in San Jose.
“This is a wonderful opportunity
to reconnect with so many people -
priests, religious, lay people whom
I already know or with whom I’ve
worked,” he said.