Last year, I wrote in this column that my church had endorsed the Occupy movement in Fort Wayne, and I encouraged other churches to do the same.
His Fort Wayne flock gave a rousing send-off Sunday, filling the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for the Rev. John M. D’Arcy’s last Mass as bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and saluting him with two rounds of standing applause.
The retiring bishop steps down Wednesday when the Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades of the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa., is installed as the ninth bishop in the diocese’s 152-year history.
But before leaving, D’Arcy, 77, couldn’t resist cracking a joke about his legacy.
During his homily, the bishop said people in the media in recent days have been asking him what his legacy is.
“I don’t know,” he said after a pause for effect. “I never think of it. That’s what I said. What I should have said is, ‘I never think of it until you guys bring it up.’ ”
Turning more serious, D’Arcy added that as he retires, “I’m aware of my failings, strongly. But I can honestly say I’ve tried every day as your bishop to do God’s will … and so should all of you.
“If my days have been fruitful, it’s been because of the sacraments and the anointing of our Lord, and I ask you all to pray for our new bishop and help him.”
Before Mass, parishioners from around the area praised D’Arcy.
“I think he’s done a wonderful job for the diocese, in the last 24 years. I think he’s done a lot of projects and important things for parishes. He’s got a lot of schools built and done a lot of things for the poor,” said Chris Conroy, 43, of Fort Wayne, a member of Our Lady of Good Hope parish who attended with his wife, Maria, and children Nathan and Olivia, both 11, and Danny, 7.
Steve Kohrman, 48, of Fort Wayne, credited D’Arcy with largely sparing the diocese from the priestly sexual abuse scandals of the past three past decades. “He’s very instrumental in our diocese not having the problems of other dioceses. … I think quite highly of him and wanted to be here,” said Kohrman, also a member of Our Lady of Good Hope.
Susan Sarrazine, 44, of New Haven, a member of the Cathedral, said she was grateful that the bishop went out of his way to develop a rapport with young people, including her son, Justin Hoeppner, 12.
“It’s neat that that my son has had the opportunity to grow up knowing the bishop, which is something we didn’t have. We only saw the bishop for Confirmation.”
She added she was “really happy” D’Arcy had decided to continue to make his home in Fort Wayne during his retirement. “I think it will benefit us all,” she said.
The Mass had solemnity and pageantry, as the bishop walked the aisles sprinkling holy water on attendees to remind them of their baptisms as part of the day’s special celebration of the baptism of Jesus. The Cathedral air took on a whitish haze from the smoke of sweet-smelling incense from a burner D’Arcy swung back and forth behind the altar before consecrating the Eucharistic wafer and wine.
In remarks near the end of the Mass, Monsignor Robert Schulte, Cathedral rector and diocesan vicar, thanked D’Arcy for his service. “Bishop D’Arcy’s steadiness and faithfulness have been a gift to us all,” Schulte said.
In reply, D’Arcy said he plans to stick to Pope Benedict XVI’s advice for retiring bishops, a relatively new phenomenon in the church.
Before the Vatican II reforms, he said, bishops served until they died. Now they must submit their resignations at age 75.
The pope has made clear that retired bishops are to “stay out of church governance,” he said.
“What this document says to bishops emeriti is ‘Keep your cotton-pickin’ hands out of the diocese,’ ” D’Arcy added, to more laughter from his audience. “Though certainly in more theological terms than that.”
