Auxiliary bishops welcome new bishop
'We're happy to have him. And he's so young ... he's good for another 40 years!'
Michelle Samartino Special to The Michigan Catholic
Published December 8, 2006
The auxiliary bishops rejoice and welcome Bishop Daniel Flores to the Archdiocese of Detroit, and share their words of wisdom and experience with him.
"I welcome him to the best archdiocese in the country, because of the many people who make up this archdiocese," says Auxiliary Bishop John Quinn.
"I'm happy that he is coming to Detroit. He is a very humble and dedicated, loving servant of God," he says. "He will do an outstanding job and the whole of the archdiocese will embrace him. I know the people will welcome him into their hearts."
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What is an auxiliary bishop?
An auxiliary bishop is assigned to a diocese or archdiocese when the diocesan bishop can't perform the duties necessary or when the diocese is big enough that it requires more than one person to run it. All bishops, even auxiliary bishops, have to be the bishop of a place, so auxillary bishops get what is known as a titular see — that is, he becomes bishop of a diocese that now exists only in title.
Bishop-elect Flores has been assigned the Titular See of Cozyla, a suppressed diocese in an area of the Balkans once controlled by Bulgaria.
| "The Hispanic people rejoice as they have one of their own," Bishop Quinn adds.
Pray, listen to others and be present to the people he's ministering to is the advice Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss offers to Bishop Flores.
"That's something for him to remember every morning and day — he has to remind himself that he's called to be a successor to the apostles," Bishop Reiss says.
"And in a way, we have to remind ourselves that we are the Body of Christ and that we're called to be in the presence of Christ in the world today," he adds.
Bishop Reiss says he believes Bishop Flores, 45, will fit in well with the people of the Archdiocese of Detroit, most especially the Hispanic community.
"He'll find people in this archdiocese who are very welcoming and very, very appreciative," he says, speaking from his own experience.
Each of the auxiliary bishops will have an opportunity to spend a couple of days with the new bishop to acquaint him to his new surroundings and "to introduce him to the archdiocese."
Bishop Resiss says he's thrilled with Bishop Flores' arrival. "I'm very happy that he's coming to Detroit. He's a great gift. He will be a great asset and I'm looking forward to working with him."
Auxiliary Bishop Earl Boyea agrees that Bishop Flores will make a nice addition to the Archdiocese of Detroit.
"First, and the most obvious, is that he'll need to take a lot of time to know the archdiocese, the priests and the people," he says.
Bishop Flores, whose immediate family includes two brothers and a sister, and his mother, are very close. That's important, says Bishop Boyea.
"I guess on a personal level, he should keep in good contact with his mother, his family and call them as often as he can. They will remain a source of strength for him."
The new bishop needs to allow God's gifts to shine. "I'd tell him that he shouldn't be shy about letting his many talents show forth," says Bishop Boyea, whose impression of the new bishop was one of "a very quiet, shy man, but very talented."
He plans on taking Bishop Flores to some parishes and also to a meeting where he'll be introduced to the pastors of the Catholic schools in St. Clair County.
Auxiliary Bishop Walter Schoenherr has never met Bishop Flores, "but I've heard a lot about him."
"Everything about him sounds really good," he says. ''(The Hispanic community) speak very highly of him."
This is long overdue, Bishop Schoenherr says. "The Spanish-speaking people need somebody with whom they can relate more to. He is a son of their own. That's the big thing, I understand."
He is anxious to meet him soon. "He's in a good spot," he says and laughs. "We'll treat him well. We're happy to have him. And he's so young … he's good for another 40 years!"
It's important for Bishop Flores to be with the people, he stresses. "He'll have that freedom to go the parishes and be able to be with the people and priests. That will be his big advantage and it's necessary."
However, Bishop Schoenherr, who has been a bishop for 38 years, also has this to share with him: "Don't lose the friends you have now, and always go to the restroom before ceremonies."
Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, says, "I'm very happy that he's coming to the diocese. We welcome him and also this is a real tribute to the Hispanic community that we're going to have someone with their background. That has been a while in coming.
He offers advice to Bishop Flores: He should be able to be confident that he can relate really well and the more he can connect with the Hispanic community, then that's going to be a real good thing for diocese ... a real good thing."
Bishop Moses Anderson could not be reached for comment.
Larry A. Peplin | The Michigan Catholic
Bishops gather
Standing in front of the rectory of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
following the Nov. 29 ordination Mass are (from left) Bishop Edmond Carmody of Corpus Christi, Texas; Detroit Auxiliary Bishops Francis Reiss, Daniel E. Flores and John Quinn; Cardinal Adam Maida; Retired Auxiliary Bishop Walter J. Schoenherr; and Bishop Rene H. Gracida, bishop emeritus of Corpus Christi.
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