Sir, – I read with great interest Bishop Edward Daly’s comments (Home News, September 14th) regarding the appointment of Irish bishops and in particular his advocating the appointment of young bishops.
While I have every sympathy with the arguments put forward, I am afraid that young bishops in time become old bishops, just as one-time young school principals like myself become old principals. For my own part, although I know I could have continued successfully in a leadership post for many more years, at age 60 I recognised that it was time to stand aside for a younger leader.
One of my great episcopal heroes was Bishop Patrick Casey of Brentwood, Essex. Bishop Casey served in parishes for over 30 years before an appointment as auxiliary bishop to Cardinal Heenan in Westminster. After three years he was transferred to the diocese of Brentwood. On taking up his new appointment, he clearly stated that he would step down after 10 years. True to his promise, and to the surprise of many, he did step down in 1980 in good health aged 66 years.
He then returned to his home diocese as a parish priest. He often told the story of his first week as a parish priest, when, after introducing himself to his new parishioners, he stood outside to say shake hands with people, when one elderly Irishman sidled up to him saying that it didn’t matter what he had done to get himself demoted, he would be very welcome in Chelsea.
I had the good fortune as head of religious education in a local Catholic secondary to have such a great priest ever willing to come into school and celebrate Mass and hear confessions.
Later on he returned to a parish in the Brentwood diocese as a curate.
Again I had the good fortune as school principal to welcome him to my school, where he again ministered to the young.
My hope is that more and more elderly bishops will step aside from episcopal responsibilities while they can still exercise active ministry akin to the further 20 years of priestly service given by the saintly Bishop Patrick Casey.
Bishop Thomas McMahon, Bishop Casey’s young successor has, after 31 years as bishop, recently submitted his resignation at the age of 75. – Yours, etc,