New shepherd called a personable, inspiring leader


By Maryangela Layman Román
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

 

MILWAUKEE -- Fifteen months ago, Mary Belardi stood in front of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist holding a sign that read, "Vatican Ignored."

She was back again on Wednesday, but this time her message had changed, "Vatican Responded. Thanks be to God."

Belardi, a member of Our Lady of Good Hope Parish, Milwaukee, explained her first sign expressed her disappointment in former Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland's renovation of the cathedral.

She called Dolan's installation as the 10th archbishop of Milwaukee, "the fruits of all of our prayers, efforts and sacrifices."

Belardi was one of about 30 people who stood in Cathedral Park across from the cathedral holding signs of welcome for Dolan.

Shortly before the 1:30 p.m. procession of dignitaries began, the group in the park prayed a rosary for "the intention of Dolan as well as in thanks for him," explained Sandy Morgan, a member of St. James Parish, Mequon.

"I thank God for such a wonderful, holy archbishop for Milwaukee," she said. "We've been praying for a long time for someone like him. I give all the glory, honor and praise to God for responding to our needs because he is a wonderful and inspiring man."

Maureen Fitzsimmons-Vanden Heuvel also spent the afternoon in Cathedral Park catching glimpses of the installation on a television set up by a local station. Holding a glittery sign proclaiming, "Oh, the Luck of Milwaukee," Fitzsimmons-VandenHeuvel said she brought three signs made by her teen-age children, to greet the new archbishop. A member of the now-closed St. Patrick Parish in Erin, Fitzsimmons-Vanden Heuvel said she is thrilled with the appointment of Dolan and hopes he will meet with former members of the church who would like to see the parish reopened."

"He's so good for Milwaukee; he's such a positive man, so full of hope," she said, adding that even if Dolan chooses not to reopen her former parish, she remains enthused by his spirituality.

Peggy Gregorski, chairperson of the now suspended Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, called Dolan a "man of well-chosen words, energy and spirit" coming to an archdiocese "anxious for a new beginning."

Attending the installation events prompted "mixed feelings" for Gregorski, nonetheless, as she noted that "the start of anything is also an end to another era."

She said she foresees "the church, in a broad way, accepting him" in response to his plans for extensive outreach, travel and meetings, and his desire to "listen to everyone, to what's gone on before."

"There are so many good things to build on in this archdiocese. He seems just the guy to do it," she added.

Others, who were inside the cathedral during the installation, were not as quick to draw distinctions between the old and the new. Dave and Mary Hamacher, members of St. Joseph Parish, Wauwatosa, called the event wonderful and exciting and urged the archdiocese to heal. Dave, who said he's excited to have Dolan as archbishop, said he has served on committees for Weakland in the past, said, "It's time for forgiveness. It's time for healing, time to go on," he said.

Julie Sopko, a member of St. Mary Parish, Belgium, appreciated Dolan's message of hope and called his call to fidelity and sainthood "marvelous."

Representing St. Joseph Parish, Big Bend, Jim Dobrzynski said he's thankful the archdiocese has an archbishop who is personable and "willing to address the real problems in the church."

"I think it was a great appointment. He seems to be a very personable archbishop and his sermon was fantastic," he added.

Those who have known Dolan were equally effusive in their praise of the man who became the youngest archbishop in the country at age 52.

Fifteen years after Jeanne Kelly was a parishioner of then-Fr. Dolan's at Little Flower Church in Richmond Heights, Mo., Kelly's daughter, Mary Theresa married Dolan's youngest brother, Pat. "I liked him even before my daughter married his brother," said Kelly who watched the installation on a large screen set up in the cathedral's atrium. Calling Dolan a charismatic, hard-working man who will bend over backwards to help others, Kelly said he represents "the best of the church. God must like Milwaukee to give them one of the best."

Jeanne LoGiurato Hanline, another out-of-town visitor and longtime friend, compared the similarities between Dolan's installation last year as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis and his installation as archbishop of Milwaukee.

"They were both joy-filled, beautiful days," she said, noting that the sun shone warmly on both occasions. "What a neat day," she said, describing Dolan as a most wonderful, prayerful, human being. LoGiurato Hanline, publication director of "The Official Catholic Directory," met Dolan in the late 1980s when he was Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington D.C. Their friendship has flourished ever since, she noted.

Mary Fran Horgan, attending the installation ceremonies from St. Louis where she's been Dolan's friend for 25 years, said Milwaukee is gaining "an archbishop who loves Christ and his church and his priests, and has a fantastic Irish humor."

A retired Latin teacher, Horgan said she took her students on trips to Rome while Dolan attended, then later served as rector of the North American College there. She said Dolan arranged special tours and audiences with the pope for her charges. Dolan has a good command of Latin, she said, but recalled that he once called her after serving Mass with the pope to confess that he has struggled throughout the liturgy with Latin's challenging case usages.

Rosemary and Vern Gomilla, members of SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Milwaukee, had also previously met Dolan. Rosemary's brother, Fr. Ron Ramson, is spiritual director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in St. Louis. Dolan appears to be the same personable, jovial man they met in St. Louis, said Rosemary Gomilla.

Mary Schubilske, a member of St. Matthias Parish, Milwaukee called the installation a moving ceremony.

"This was such an important event in our history now and I think he's off to a really good start," she said. "His homily was very moving and the emphasis on fidelity was a beautiful way to start out," said Schubilske who said her brother, Msgr. Roger Roensch, was also in attendance.