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The Holy Father appointed Bishop Henry J. O'Brien as the new Archbishop of Hartford. The news was viewed with great happiness because Archbishop O'Brien was well known to the clergy and faithful since he was the bishop of the diocese at the time of the division. Likewise, it was a source of pride for the Catholic faithful to know that the diocese had grown so large that the Holy See felt it pastorally wise to divide the diocese into three new jurisdictions. For the Diocese of Bridgeport, the Pope named Bishop Lawrence Shehan as bishop. He had been Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore and now was to assume the leadership of this new diocese. The Diocese of Norwich received as its first bishop Monsignor Bernard J. Flanagan, Chancellor of the Diocese of Burlington, Vermont. During my early years as bishop, I had the privilege of meeting Archbishop O'Brien on two occasions. I knew his successor Archbishop John F. Whealon very well. Our paths crossed many times when I was Bishop of Fall River. Our conversations were always very interesting. If I had known in those years that in the providence of God I would succeed him in 1992 as Archbishop of Hartford, I am sure our conversations would have been much more interesting indeed. While I was a member of the Conference of Bishops with Bishop Joseph Donnelly, Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford, I did not know him as well as I knew Bishop John F. Hackett, also an Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford. It was my privilege to be a good friend of Bishop Hackett. We were among a group of bishops who participated in the course of Continuing Education for Bishops at the North American College - at the Casa Santa Maria - in Rome in 1975. During that program Bishop Hackett and I got to know one another. He talked about the Archdiocese of Hartford with great enthusiasm and since I have come to Hartford, I have so often wished he were still alive. It would be so helpful to exchange views about so many things. His own experience went way back to his early days as Secretary to Bishop O'Brien. Bishop Paul S. Loverde, the present Bishop of Arlington, Virginia was an Auxiliary Bishop when I became the Archbishop of Hartford. I was the beneficiary of his assistance until he became Bishop of Ogdensburg in 1994. Now Bishop Peter A. Rosazza and Bishop Christie A. Macaluso as the present Auxiliary Bishops of Hartford complete the history of the many years of Episcopal service to the Archdiocese of Hartford in the fifty years of its existence. Although I did not meet Bishop Lawrence Shehan while he was Bishop of Bridgeport, I did get to know him during the Second Vatican Council. He was an active member of the Council and became an influential Council Father. I was assigned to the Secretariat of State in the Vatican at the time and I can still remember both his serious involvement in the Council and also his jolly, infectious laugh. He was at the time Archbishop of Baltimore and later became a Cardinal. It was my privilege to know his successor Bishop Walter Curtis very well. He was a scholarly man while at the same time a pastoral bishop. He was succeeded by Bishop Edward M. Egan, now the Cardinal Archbishop of New York. As I have written before, I know Cardinal Egan very well going way back to our days together in Rome. He made a tremendous contribution to the Church in Bridgeport, particularly in the apostolate of Catholic Education. Bishop William Lori succeeded as Bishop when Cardinal Egan went to New York as its new Archbishop. Again I have known Bishop Lori for many years and it is now a privilege to be working with him closely in the service of the Church in Connecticut. Bishop Bernard Flanagan, the first bishop of Norwich, who eventually became the Bishop of Worcester, was a very dedicated man. It was my privilege to know him well and to work with him as a fellow bishop in Massachusetts when I was the Bishop of Fall River. I knew also Bishop Vincent Hines during his tenure as the second Bishop of Norwich. Then followed Bishop Daniel P. Reilly, the third Bishop of Norwich, whom I had known from seminary days. Indeed his successor Bishop Daniel A. Hart was a seminary classmate of mine and it was a delight to be with him as a brother bishop both in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Now as we celebrate the golden jubilee of the Diocese of Norwich, the Holy Father has appointed the new Ordinary of that See, Bishop Michael Coté. We pray for his ministry and we wish him well. I have mentioned all these bishops somewhat as an historical review of the past fifty years of the dioceses of Connecticut. It is necessary, however, to be complete to point out that the Diocese of Providence also became a part of the Province of Hartford fifty years ago. Although it had been a separate diocese for many years, it nonetheless has had a very long relationship with the Diocese of Hartford since it was at one time part of the Diocese of Hartford. Thus when the new Province of Hartford was established in 1953, history, so to speak, came full circle when the Diocese of Providence became part of the new Province of Hartford. All these recollections and personal reminiscences have made me so grateful to be a part of the commemoration of the golden jubilee of the Province of Hartford. We should be so thankful to Almighty God for the good that has been accomplished through His grace by the bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity during these past fifty years. The dedication and zeal of everyone should serve as an incentive to work even harder to spread the Gospel message in the coming years in this part of the vineyard of the Lord - the Province of Hartford. |