Archbishop's Column
The Catholic Transcript - November Issue, 2003

We have a new Archbishop! On October 20, 2003, the Holy See announced that our Holy Father has appointed the Most Reverend Henry J. Mansell as the new Archbishop of Hartford. We all rejoice in this gift of Pope John Paul II to our Archdiocese, a gift that follows so closely upon the celebration of the Pontiff's twenty-fifth anniversary of his Pontificate.

In accordance with Canon 401 par. 1 of the Code of Canon Law, I forwarded to Pope John Paul II on November 14, 2002 my resignation as Archbishop of Hartford. That date was my seventy-fifth birthday. The Holy Father has now accepted my resignation and given us Archbishop Mansell as our new shepherd. I am grateful to our Holy Father for allowing me to enter into retirement after almost fifty-one years as a priest and more than thirty-five years as a bishop. In addition to my gratitude to the Pope, I also express my profound thanks to the auxiliary bishops, priests, deacons, religious and faithful laity of our Archdiocese for their support and encouragement during the almost twelve years that I have been privileged to be the shepherd of this portion of the Lord's vineyard. In my own way I have tried to respond to the needs of the people of God of the Archdiocese with whatever success the will of God has allowed me to have. I tried my best to respond to the strengthening graces that the Good Lord has given me. Now this period of history which has seen the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Hartford comes to a close and we all are entering into a new phase under the leadership of a talented and energetic new Archbishop.

I have known Archbishop Mansell for many years. He is an illustrious member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In the Conference, our new Archbishop has distinguished himself in many ways. He was elected to the Office of Treasurer of the Conference. He is known for his competence in the complicated area of health care. His interest in Catholic hospitals and other institutions for the care of the sick is well known.

Archbishop Mansell comes to us from the Diocese of Buffalo where he has been a loving pastor of souls as Bishop of that great diocese for the past eight years. The Diocese of Buffalo is a large diocese with all the challenges that one can expect in a diocese with historic ethnic traditions, new immigration, numerous Catholic parishes and numerous schools. The leadership qualities of Archbishop Mansell have enabled him to meet these challenges with notable success.

We welcome our new shepherd. I have already assured Archbishop Mansell of my personal affection and support. I will offer willingly any assistance which he may request. He knows that he has my prayers and good wishes for God's manifold and choicest blessings on his episcopal ministry among us. I invite all our auxiliary bishops, priests, religious and faithful to unite behind our new Archbishop and to be of one mind and heart with him as he preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ and leads us all along our pilgrimage to holiness and eternal life. To our new Archbishop, I say in the words of the traditional phrase "ad multos gloriosque annos." May you have many and glorious years in the future.
This happy news about the appointment of Archbishop Mansell came to us in the midst of the worldwide celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Pontificate of Pope John Paul II. Just a few days before the actual date of his Silver Jubilee, the Holy Father received in private audience the Supreme Knight, Mr. Carl Anderson, and the members of the Supreme Board of the Knights of Columbus. At the invitation of the Supreme Knight, I went to Rome with Monsignor Thomas M. Ginty, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Hartford, and the highlight of the many events that occurred during our stay in Rome was the privilege of participating in that audience of the Holy Father. I was able to greet the Holy Father personally and offer him congratulations on his significant and happy anniversary. The Pope received each member of the group of the Knights of Columbus. He was animated and enthusiastic; it seemed at the end of the audience as he turned at the back of the Sala Clementina to say good-bye and gave a final blessing that he would have preferred to remain with us. I shall always treasure the medal especially struck for his twenty-fifth anniversary which the Holy Father gave me on that occasion.

As Pope John Paul II commemorates his Silver Jubilee as Pope, all of us in the Archdiocese of Hartford pray for him that the Lord may continue to bless him with strength. We should also pray in thanksgiving to God for giving us a Pope who in the course of his Pontificate has done so much to preach the Gospel in practically all the countries of the world. Like a modern St. Paul he has given us clarity in the teaching of the doctrines of the faith. He has explained the moral teachings of the Church and he has been a firm supporter of married family life. Pope John Paul II has been a stalwart supporter of human life and of peace in the world. His Pontificate has been a gift to the Church and the world at large.