Metropolitan urges Bishop Lach to ‘enliven’ spiritual life of U.S. church

Archbishop William C. Skurla of Pittsburgh preached the homily at the enthronement liturgy for Bishop Milan Lach, SJ. An excerpt of his homily is offered below.

In Paul’s First Epistle to Timothy, we hear of the job description or necessary qualification of a bishop who oversees spiritual needs of an eparchy (or diocese). Paul tells us that whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.

Therefore, a bishop must have the following qualities. The bishop should be irreproachable, chaste, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money, from a good family, seasoned in the life of the church, and have a good reputation among outsiders.

Today, bishops continue to oversee both the spiritual and other needs of the people entrusted to them. They need all the qualities described by the Apostle Paul and many more to deal with a much more complicated world today. Your training and experience will be helpful as you face the future challenges of the church in the United States.

Use your energy to enliven the spiritual life of the church and protect it from the challenges of secularism and materialism which undermine the faith of our people. We need to present the tradition and faith which we have been given to the next generation of Byzantine Catholics in the United States. Listen to the people you serve and respond to requests carefully.

We wish you well in your new ministry as the fifth bishop of the Eparchy of Parma. May the Lord provide you with the strength and wisdom to continue the work of the Apostles and your predecessors in the Eparchy of Parma.

And, may you rise to (the) needs of your people and larger church in your many, many, many happy and blessed years of future service to our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.
 
Caption: Archbishop William C. Skurla preaches the homily at the enthronement liturgy. (Photo: Reen Nemeth)
 
As published in Horizons, July 8, 2017.
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