Bp. Hubbard (D. Albany) steps aside after 38.66 years (Fr Z):
A priest from the Brooklyn diocese is appointed the new bishop: Fr. Bernard Sharfenberger.
That’s this guy’s diocese. The times, they are a-changin’ indeed.
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Looks like the table continues to be cleared of Progressives, even under Pope Francis, the fluffiest Pope evaah (with a hat tip to Father Z). Bishop Hubbard marks the end of the “Baby Bishops” and the last of Archbishop Jadot’s infamous recommendations.
Notice the continued trend, Bishop-elect Sharfenberger is a canon lawyer (as well as a civl lawyer). He also was the head of the tribunal in Brooklyn Diocese’s dealing with the sex abuse cases.
More info here
Bishop Hubbard must have had a better reputation in Rome, since the succession was “clean”. It might be that the difference in the way the bishops of Rochester and Albany were replaced is the difference between Cardinal Burke and Cardinal Wuerl. Just speculatin’.
I had been aware for some time that DoA was struggling, and not without parallels to DoR’s struggles (hopefully being recovered from). But I followed a couple of links from Rocco’s Albany story and was absolutely floored.
If you do *not* want to ruin your day, do *not* google “Agony in Albany”.
Thanks for the link Ben. Bishop DiMarzio sounds like a stand up guy. I just wish that more of our US Bishops would grow some backbone, and become more vocal against the evil workings of Barack Obama.
It would be very interesting if Bishop-elect Sharfenberger is as vocal in Albany (where Gov. Cuomo is) as the Bishop of Brooklyn is. Could make for some interesting times.
CPT
“Pope Francis, the fluffiest Pope evaah ”
Definition of fluffiness:having little or no intellectual weight; superficial or frivolous: fluffy thinking.
My response(sarcasm): nice way to talk about OUR pope and the Bishop of Rome!!!!!
Ps: why do you hide behind your initials?.
Scotty – If my count is correct, Bishop Hubbard was only sixteen days older when his resignation was accepted than Bishop Clark was when his was accepted. 75.28 years vs. 75.2. By Vatican standards, that is lightning fast in both cases, so it cannot be denied that what just happened in Albany was every bit as much a repudiation of Bishop Hubbard as what happened here in the DoR.
Check that – 36 days older. Still – lightning fast!
@raymondrice
I guess you are trying to pick a fight? No matter. I am not saying the Pope is fluffy, quiet the opposite..I am making light of the media/progressive line that the Pope is so different than previous Popes and he was some how fluffy nice. He is Catholic as this appointment further affirms. Far as my handle…CPT Tom has been my moniker for over 10 years on the net and CPT stands for “Captain” which was my rank in the military at the time I started using it. I don’t use my real name because I don’t take blogs serious enough to endanger my privacy.
The Lords peace be with you.
Raymond,
The nickname given Pope Francis (His Fluffiness, etc) is tongue-in-cheek. The dissident catholyc media and the anti-Catholic secular press have spent the past 11 months portraying the Holy Father as a cute, little, fluffy, tail-wagging poodle.
In truth, he is no less a rottweiler (and in some ways more of a rottweiler) than B16 was. That’s the joke. Every time he does something particularly *not* “fluffy”, referencing the media portrayal.
CPT Tom,
I began writing that comment a couple hours ago, left, and hadn’t seen your explanation when I finally hit “enter.” Glad to see we are on the same page!
My apologies and thank you for the clarifications/ I sometimes get “flufy” when I am writing later at night!!
There are five things about the appointment of Msgr. Sharfenberger which seem to be encouraging signs, beside the rapidity of Pope Francis’ naming him and replacing the Shepherd of Albany quickly. 1) He is from NYS and knows well the problems we’ve had; he is well up the learning curve. 2) He is a lawyer, with his degree from Fordham. When Cuomo says “Oh we have to conform NYS law to the Federal Law as an argument to expand abortion, the new Bishop will be able to say B.S.! (i.e. Before Sharfenberger!) because the untruth in the statement will be manifest to one who ‘reads the law.’ 3) He’s from Brooklyn. Dodgers aside :-), there is not much you can put over on a true son of Brooklyn (I can say that, being the daughter of one), 4) The Bishop of Brooklyn chose him for Chancery work, not pulling him out of a parish but having him do double duty. His capacity and energy for work must be impressive. 5) A strong figure in Albany will hopefully diminish the impact of Cardinal Dolan’s playing to the cheap seats. He may be the metropolitan, but Bishop Sharfenberger reports to the Pope and is in charge of his own Diocese. Cardinal Dolan, with all your chuminess with Andrew Cuomo, please back off and let the new Shepherd of Albany take over in his own diocese what are his own responsibilities. The guy’s from Brooklyn for St. Pete’s sake!
Hi Diane,
I thought the bishop was autonomous in his diocese. It was only if the group of NYS bishops made a joint statement that someone like Cardinal Dolon would have influence.
Abbacio
I hate when that happens, but it is all good, means the sheep know their shepherd even if there are those who are trying to confuse us.
Raymondrice,
From someone, like me who suffers from “terminal candor” I appreciate the occurance and thank you for the apology. The impulse to defend our Holy Father is a noble thing, which I also thank you for. God bless all who are loyal sons and daughters of his Holy Church!
@Richard Thomas,
Absolutely true what you say. A bishop is autonomous in his own diocese. That is what I meant by his only reporting to the Pope, not to Cardinal Dolan. But, somehow, Cardinal Dolan has made himself the prominent one in dealing with Cuomo (and it seems that Bp. Hubbard liked it that way.) I greatly hope that the new Bishop of Albany will deal with Cuomo directly, and that Cardinal Dolan won’t let his own prominence get in the way, because many people think that the cardinal is the head of the Catholic Church in NYS.
Sorry if my wording was unclear. You are absolutely correct. Diane
Diane,
No criticism.
Have you heard the results of the worldwide survey done by the Vatican? To the surprise of no one here almost all Catholics have apostasized from the Church on sexual issues.
What is even more surprising, alarming and dissolusioning is the acknowledged complacency of the bishops who are more upset that the media is overemphasizing this issue. Cardinal O’Malley stated:” Once a year, a Catholic might hear a homily on abortion, they will never hear a homily on birth control or homosexuality”.
I am afraid the bishops don’t give a rat’s gluteus maximus on these issues and are leading the way in this apostacy.
Will there be a split? I am wondering.
For more info, check todays “Vortex” on Church militant tv.com.
There already is a split. It just hasn’t reached the organizational level yet. There will always be a market for permission to sin. It has been driving this Presidential administration, IMO, by overt acts. Within the Church it is driven by silence.
Richard Thomas, According to the CCC: 2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. “Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.” So, the fact that most Catholics may have rejected the teaching on contraception, for example, this wouldn’t be “apostasy”, but rather, “incredulity.”
We should always be precise, and it may be true that 10,000 incredulities do not add up to formal apostacy, but at some point it becomes a meaningless distinction. I’ve never encountered a Catholic who rejected the truth that contraception is evil and rejected only that truth. When you lift the rotten log, the number of slimy creatures that scurry forth is Legion. The Episcopal Church will likely never formally reject Christ (but don’t ask me to bet on it), but if you can spot the difference between “Bishop” Schori’s theology and the secular quasi-religion of Political Correctness, then your eyes are sharper than mine.
Y2 Scotty,
Those words aren’y mine. I was quoting the Vortex and they indicated those were the words of soon to be St. pope JPII
The Holy Father is really tapping into the Brooklyn Diocese for new bishps. Rochester and Albany. except for the wonderful statements by the current bishop, I don’t know much about that diocese.
Richard, Bp Matano of Rochester is from Providence via Burlington – not from Brooklyn. I suspect he’s a Red Sox fan. 🙂
Thanks for the correction