The First Five Years of Rockford
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ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE OBSERVER Official Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 82 | No. 22 | Section A http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY MAY 12, 2017 The First Five Years Bishop February 2013 Pope Benedict’s David Retirement Malloy October 2014 of Rockford Diocesan Youth Summit Ordination and Installation May 14, 2012 April 2015 Easter Mass at Winnebago Jail August 2016 Silver and Gold Anniversary Mass May 2017 Mass for Priest Jubilarians A2 | FRIDAY MAY 12, 2017 | The Observer Marking Five Years with Thanks and Prayer n May 14, I will complete ()% 2$!2 The Observer (ISSN 0029- [ 3ƽ 7739), is published weekly, % % [ O %' the Diocese of Rockford, .% )% !"#$%&''* +./'1455648: 5[ /'14556&** ƽ %+ BY BISHOP ( #;# !"#$### DAVID J. &%% 5% è MALLOY + 5 !" % POSTMASTER:### #$% % % +;The Observer, 555 n short, my % !"#$%&''* gratitude &%' ) (ƽ I : ". $ % 6 ADVERTISING is wide and + ([ % & The Observer deep, and ##/'14556 )% ) &3 48"/'14556&** heartfelt. * () >.!+? +* % !"##; [ % %!% @# NEWS"The )- / + Observer+##" ([% 0)(+ A8# ))- ?!"## ;8A" +.11!"## ;16A @AB*/ C/AD8# #EB*58+ ";.A"B4 B58;B' Thanks, The Observer Online#; A Publisher: F##GF Editor: H; Bishop News Editor:E#JA# Features and Multimedia Editor:@++"# Circulation/Proofreading: @A@K!L+ David %A#+ Accounting:G! Advertising and Marketing: LF+ Production and Web Malloy Administrator: MJA;+ Contributing Writers::+ L+HK!:+ L+!L+%A#+ %:+# +O for inspiring @P!K!F; F#P%A! H Publication Dates: H! all of us to go +*'+K AG&F+4' GA4@*5#*5 ‘above and News Deadlines: QA' #"A# Ad Deadlines: QA' beyond’ in #"A# è"+6 # "+"!"# your first five #+;" The Observer6 "+ è"A# years with us. A The Observer A# # Our Mission is the mission of the Church itself — to spread the Gospel through contemporary means of communications. Member of: le photo) le (Observer fi First Five Years The Observer | FRIDAY MAY 12, 2017 | A3 2012 Bishop-Elect Announced in March ockford’s Bishop Thomas G. Doran had, know him to be a person of great heart, much as required, submitted his resignation to wisdom and a pleasant personality. I am sure RPope Benedict XVI when he reached his that the priests and people of the Diocese of 75th birthday on Feb. 20, 2011. Rockford will quickly discover these qualities And the diocese began waiting to learn who in him and more besides, and I am grateful to would succeed him as the ninth bishop of the the Holy Spirit and the Holy Father for such a Rockford Diocese. propitious appointment of the ninth Bishop of Waiting, too, was Bishop-Emeritus Arthur J. Rockford.” O’Neill, 93. Both were natives of the diocese. Bishop Doran was born and raised in Rockford; Planning begins Bishop O’Neill, in East Dubuque. Would the Some general plans for the new bishop’s next bishop be another native son? ordination and installation were already A year later, on Bishop Doran’s 76th birthday, roughed out by diocesan staff. But planning the diocese was still waiting. And wondering. began in earnest the day of the annoucement. But the anwer would come just a few weeks The date was set: May 14, 2012. later. The place: BMO Harris Bank Center in On March 20, 2012, word arrived that Rockford. Pope Benedict XVI named Msgr. David John Now the details had to be worked out. And Malloy of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to be for those at the Chancery who were involved the ninth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of in the planning, the next few weeks seemed to Rockford. disappear far too quickly. Bishop-elect Malloy, 56, would succeed They wanted this celebration to be equally Bishop Doran who had led the diocese since pious and inclusive. Cardinal Francis George 1994. A Milwaukee native, the nearness of his of Chicago would preside at a ceremony filled home and family gave everyone a sense that the pope had sent the diocese a neighbor. with color, music and pagentry. It would even Bishop Doran was pleased, writing in his be televised live by WREX-TV Channel 13 in column the week of the announcement, “I have Rockford. known Msgr. Malloy for more than 25 years. We The plans came together as thousands worked at the same time in Rome and Msgr. gathered to hear the new bishop greet the Malloy was an immense help to me while I was faithful of northern Illinois in English and chairman of the Canonical Affairs Committee Spanish. His fluency in both languages for the United States Conference of Catholic cemented his ties to the whole of the diocese. Bishops.” And his work in Rockford would begin on a Bishop Doran further wrote, “I have come to high note of welcome, unity and joy. CONGRATULATIONS BISHOP MALLOY ON FIVE YEARS OF MINISTRY May the Lord bless you in your ministry! -Cardinal Blase J. Cupich Cardinal Francis Officiates Ceremony Cardinal Francis George of Chicago places a mitre on the head of new- ly ordained Bishop David Malloy, the ninth bishop of Rockford, at the BMO Harris Center on May 14, 2012. Inside Special Edition Comes in Two Parts In Section A of today’s edition of The Observer, you’ll find a look back at Bishop David Malloy’s first five years in the Rockford Diocese. In Section B, you’ll see the news of the diocese, including the bishop’s schedule, an introduction to the men who will become our newest priests, official appointments, and more. a4 | FRIDAY MAY 12, 2017 | The Observer First Five Years with the work of the priests in the Diocese of Rockford particularly the efforts they Q&A make on Be Reconciled Day. It’s always a highlight to have the opportunity to be with our young people at the with Bishop Malloy youth summit and I am always gratified by the interaction with the Hispanic Catholic community particularly in the Bishop David Malloy has led the course of the living Stations of [ the Cross in Aurora. He answered some questions about his time as the ninth What has surprised you shepherd of the diocese for Q about being a bishop? Observer I suppose the surprise A is the combination of What, for you, have been administrative and spiritual Q some of the highlights duties of the office of bishop of being a bishop? and trying to balance It’s hard to say what a those and carry them out A highlight is as a bishop faithfully and make them because the whole point is (Observer file photo) line up and unite in the Bishop David Malloy listens as he greets Pope Benedict XVI during a visit to Rome. Bishop Malloy was to put Christ first and there service of the church. among several of the recently ordained who attended a new bishop convocation, Sept. 5-22, 2012, at are so many ways that that You don’t realize how much the Vatican. happens. Some of them are administration goes into visible and some of them are a task like this, along with great deal of requests for those and listen to all of those And so, in trying to live like simply in the spiritual realm the number of homilies or your time, your service, your and be in service to all of Christ we can certainly begin which is the deep part of the requests for comments or activity and that’s just simply those different histories and in His most direct words. life of a priest or a bishop. speaking. It’s surprising how a given when one receives personalities for a diocese But it’s also true that once I would say the liturgical much time has to be spent the sacrament of ordination. as geographically large and I was there and had a chance services and ceremonies, the numerically as large as the trying to organize thoughts What do you think has to offer the Mass and hear the Diocese of Rockford, is a confirmations, the ordinations, in order to communicate the Q been most difficult for you? confessions and then actually the ceremonies of Holy Week teaching and the message and challenge. interact with the inmates who It’s difficult to learn a are definite highlights along the practice of the church. You began the practice of are there, and recognizing A diocese when you come Q visiting the jails on holidays their situation, you get a feel Is that the challenge from outside. And it’s not only Q — time? when you became bishop of the importance of bringing learning say the geography, t’s hard to say and you have continued. Christ to them. I don’t think so much but each parish really has its what a highlight Why is that so important? Hopefully by bringing I A the time as just the own history and personality. constant requirement of I think it’s important Christ to them in this way, is as a bishop Each priest has his own thinking and praying and A because first of all it’s the inmates might have their history and personality. The trying to continually say something that Christ told moment of reform, their because the whole faithful that you encounter on something that addresses us to do. “I was imprisoned moment of strengthening a regular basis have their own point is to put the current moment. All and you came to visit me.” Continued on page A6 Christ first ... the priests know very well histories and personalities. that in this life you have a And trying to learn all of Blessed congratulations to Bishop Malloy on the celebration of your Fifth Anniversary as the Bishop for the Diocese of Rockford! “Catholic Charities is a vital part of the work of the Church in this diocese because it allows each of us to reach out Bishop David Malloy prays with a family at a gravesite after the 2014 to the poor and needy” Memorial Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Rockford.