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National Catholic Register
March 5-11, 2006
Todays Bishops
Preaching and Teaching in the Desert.
By Tim Drake
Register Staff Writer
PHOENIX - Bishop Thomas Olmsted recently became one of only three U.S. bishops to require couples seeking a Church wedding to take a course in natural family planning. Those who work with the Phoenix bishop say it demonstrates his commitment to taking his role as a teacher seriously, especially with regard to the Church's teachings on the life issues.
When Pope Benedict XVI met with new bishops last September, he stressed the bishop's role as teacher.
"Among your duties, I would like to underline that of being teachers of the faith," said Pope Benedict.
"As successors of the apostles you are 'doctors of the faith,' authentic doctors who, with the same authority of Christ, above all proclaim to the people the faith we must live and believe," the Pope said.
This article is the second in the Register's series exploring how bishops are finding the voice to address the issues that most clergy have tended to avoid.
Among others it will feature Archbishop John Myers of Newark, N.J. and Bishops Samuel Aquila of Fargo, N.D.; Robert Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.; Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Robert Vasa of Baker, Ore.
Bishop Olmsted's commitment is one that was evident during his former post in the Diocese of Wichita, Kan. Those in Phoenix say it's been clear since his first days as bishop in Phoenix as well.
Just days after his 2004 installation, in his first non-liturgical act as bishop, Bishop Olmsted led some 200 pro-life activists in praying the Rosary outside a Phoenix-area Planned Parenthood abortion business. "This is Calvary, an innocent victim is dying here," Bishop Olmsted said in a statement to those gathered. "I have a special
obligation, especially to Catholics in whatever position they occupy in society, to explain the Church teachings and to share the good news about life."
"Bishop Olmsted immediately established himself, even on the first day he addressed us as priests," said Father Charles Goraieb, pastor of St. Henry's Catholic Church in Buckeye, Ariz. Father Goraieb has worked with Bishop Olmsted on the presbyteral council and served as chairman of the Natural Family Planning Board for the diocese. "Here was a man who was filled with the Holy Spirit."
Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Bill Marcotte said that he sees the bishop fulfilling his role as a teacher in three distinct ways. "The bishop teaches through his speaking engagements, his column in the diocesan newspaper, and his homilies," said Marcotte.
Facing Challenges
Bishop Olmsted admitted that the challenges he faces in Phoenix are no different than those he faced in Wichita.
"The challenge is that our culture is becoming less and less rooted in the Judeo- Christian tradition," he said in an interview. "Our people are being less likely to be helped by the culture to understand their faith or the appropriate
virtues to live their faith well."
That's why he uses his speaking engagements and homilies as an opportunity to remind the faithful. "His homilies are full of catechesis," said Marcotte. "He connects everything that he does with a particular saint and frequently
teaches doctrine and quotes popes or encyclicals. His teaching style is very catechetical."
"My homilies are based on the Scriptural text and meet the pastoral and catechetical needs of our people," Bishop Olmsted said. Father Goraieb agreed with Marcotte's observation. "He teaches at almost every event," said the priest. "He is Scriptural and doesn't waste those opportunities. He wants to bring people to this broader, larger view."
Bishop Olmsted also uses the power of the pen.
Over the course of the past year, he has utilized his column in the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Sun, to reflect on the encyclical Humanae Vitae, as well as many other important issues that face the Church. "I studied the pastoral letters written by Archbishop [Charles] Chaput [of Denver] and Bishop [Victor] Galeone [of St. Augustine, Fla.], as well as [Scranton, Pa.] Bishop [Joseph] Martino's pastoral on chastity, in preparing my texts," said Bishop Olmsted.
His First Pastoral
Bishop Olmsted also wrote to explain a dramatic change in how his diocese conveys the sacrament of confirmation. His first pastoral letter as bishop, "Gift From on High," coincided with the diocese's implementation of changing the age at which young people receive the sacrament.
"'Gift From on High' was the result of a consultation that I did with the presbyteral council," said Bishop Olmsted. "We put together a task force of priests, religious educators and members of the council to study the best age at
which to confer the sacrament of confirmation. They suggested that we return to the original order."
The Diocese of Phoenix became one among several that have made such a change. Historically, the sacrament of
confirmation was received after baptism and before first Communion. According to canon law, confirmation may be received at the age of discretion. An increasing number of dioceses are returning to the original order of the
sacraments of initiation.
"This is a great teaching for us," said Marcotte. "He is trying to teach us that the sacrament isn't a sacrament to be earned, but to be freely received as a gift." Among the reasons for the change, Bishop Olmsted explained that the diocese discovered that fewer than 40% of teenagers were being confirmed.
"Adults and young people are facing very serious challenges and decisions regarding faith," said Bishop Olmsted. "Those in sixth through eighth grade face challenges regarding the use of alcohol, drugs and sexual activity - challenges to their faith in which they need the influence of the Catholic faith." "We wanted to return to the natural sequence of the rite of the sacraments of initiation," said Marcotte.
In addition to the pastoral letter, Bishop Olmsted also produced a video explaining the historical teaching regarding confirmation which was sent to every parish in the diocese. "Bishop Olmsted speaks of mystagogy," said Marcotte. "We don't understand our baptism when we are baptized. Over time, as we grow, at age-appropriate stages, our Church is mandated to effectively teach what these sacraments are and what they mean. We learn as we grow what we are receiving."
Following the Leader
"Bishop Olmsted was one of the translators of Pope John Paul II's "Theology of the Body" from Italian into English," said Father Goraieb. "We are thrilled to have a bishop who supports the work and understands Humanae Vitae and the 'Theology of the Body.' How many bishops do you know would teach this so clearly and take the action of requiring that this is what couples must at least hear and try to understand if they are seeking
a sacramental marriage in the Church?" asked Father Goraieb.
Along these lines, Bishop Olmsted is in the process of establishing a John Paul II Resource Center for the Theology of the Body and Culture - a resource to infuse the HolyFather's teachings into all marriage enrichment
programs in the diocese.
Papal biographer George Weigel said that John Paul taught bishops how to be bishops. "The bishops appointed in the past 10 or 15 years had the opportunity to watch a great teaching pontificate at work, so they've taken on the model of the bishop as evangelist and witness - as teacher of the enduring truths of Catholic faith," he said.
Bishop Olmsted agreed in pointing to Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict as models. "I am influenced by the example and exhortation of John Paul II," he said. "We saw in him someone who was very committed to evangelization. He had a real passion for catechesis and teaching. Those of us who have been bishops have
been very influenced by him."
Bishop Olmsted also stressed that he draws strength from the teachings of the Church herself. "The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and documents like Fides et Ratio, Evangelium Vitae and Veritatis Splendor have greatly helped us to have confidence and are good tools at hand for proclaiming the Gospel and teaching the faith," said Bishop Olmsted. "Pope Benedict is carrying that forward in is own teaching." National Catholic Register
Tim Drake is based in St. Joseph, Minnesota
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