Remade For Mission On Hold in Albany Diocese

Hello,

I am hoping that by now, you are aware that Pope Leo XIV appointed the most Reverend Mark W. O’Connell as the eleventh bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. Bishop Mark has been, up until now, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. He will be formally installed as bishop of Albany on Friday, December 5, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

This appointment, while anticipated to take place in the coming months, as Bishop Scharfenberger has passed the age of 75, two years ago, was none the less quite an unexpected surprise for our diocese. From reading about his background and listening to his press conference, I have a strong sense of hope and confidence that Bishop Mark’s appointment will prove to be a blessing to the Albany Diocese.

In his remarks, Bishop Mark specifically noted the Remade for Mission process that Bishop Scharfenberger initiated. We had begun the initial steps for this, and have a really great team that has stepped up to help me with this.

However, Bishop Mark stated that the process is now on hold, until he has time to get up to speed on the Diocese, the bankruptcy cases, the St. Clare’s Pension lawsuit, the seven ‘test cases’ that are commencing soon, and of course, the Remade for Mission program.

Please pray for our Diocese! Bishop Mark stated several times in his remarks that we are in ‘chaotic times’, and I could not agree more! The challenges that our Diocese is facing are significant and daunting. However, as I like to say so often, ‘we are Easter people!’ and this necessarily informs our outlook as being filled with hope.

The announcement by the Holy See of a new bishop, with many other dioceses’ waiting a new bishop far longer that Albany, cannot be seen as anything other than a gift from God. Indeed, Bishop Mark’s episcopal motto is so fitting, from John’s Gospel, “we have found the Messiah.”

Be sure to read the parish bulletin each week, the Evangelist paper – the official publication and means of communication to the entire diocese – as well as online resources – St. Michael’s social media; the diocesan website and in other news outlets.

Father Tony