Archbishops Roussin, Miller like an ‘episcopal dream team’

By JEFF GRAHAM

Father Thomas Rosica, CSB, thinks Pope Benedict XVI must have tremendous love for Vancouver. He said there's no other way to explain why the Holy Father would be willing to send such a highly regarded man as Archbishop Michael Miller, CSB, to Vancouver to serve as coadjutor bishop to Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM.

L'Osservatore Romano Archbishop Michael Miller, Vancouver's new coadjutor archbishop, is shown in a 2004 file photo greeting Pope John Paul II on the morning after his ordination as titular archbishop of Vertara. Archbishop Miller is expected to arrive in Vancouver to assist Archbishop Raymond Roussin in September.

"The Holy Father must have great care and love for Vancouver to put somebody of Archbishop Miller's stature in Vancouver," said Father Rosica, CEO of Salt and Light Television. He knows Archbishop Miller, a Basilian confrere, well.

By all indications, having Archbishop Miller come to Vancouver is like signing a star free agent in the off-season, and he comes to the Archdiocese of Vancouver to join a strong team that is fostering a growing local church. As coadjutor, Archbishop Miller will work under the guidance of Archbishop Roussin, and the episcopal duo will look to develop the type of chemistry that great athletes have between each other.

"It's equivalent to Luongo coming to the Canucks," said David Sylvester of St. Mark's College, a former Basilian school, and Corpus Christi College.

"Archbishop Roussin is already here doing the job, but now I really believe we have an episcopal dream team, and that Vancouver now has the best episcopal leadership in North America. From what I know from both bishops personally, they have very complementary gifts.

"I can't think of a better situation in North America than these two men working together because they're both so tremendously gifted. Archbishop Roussin has shown tremendous courage and is a tremendous leader, and now with Archbishop Miller coming, I think we'll have a fantastic team."

Father Rosica sees the impending arrival of Archbishop Miller as a blessing for everyone in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

"Archbishop Miller will be a huge blessing for Vancouver. He brings a wealth of expertise in the area of education, especially higher education," said Father Rosica. "He loves people, particularly young people, and will be a great help to Archbishop Roussin."

Father Rosica, who knows Archbishop Miller well from Basilian gatherings, describes him as warm, personal, hospitable, and gracious.

"Every time our film crews have gone to Rome, he's been so good to them. He's a communicator, and he loves to be with them and people really appreciate him. He's just constantly gracious and thoughtful."

Pacific rim location a factor

Father Rosica also said the Holy Father must have taken notice of the tremendous potential here in the Archdiocese of Vancouver to be sending such a well qualified bishop as coadjutor to Archbishop Roussin.

"Vancouver has a young church, a growing church, with excellent clergy, and so it requires an excellent bishop. Sometimes it requires a real sacrifice on the part of Rome to let someone like that go, but they wanted the best for Vancouver. I think the only way to look at it is that Vancouver has been richly blessed."

Archbishop Miller is bringing considerable talents and credentials with him to the archdiocese. His original field of interest was Latin American Studies, in which he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Toronto and his Master of Arts at the University of Wisconsin.

After teaching at St. Joseph's High School in Ottawa for one year, he completed his Master of Divinity degree at the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto, in 1974.

He then spent from 1974-1979 in Rome, where he completed his licentiate and doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was appointed titular Archbishop of Vertara and Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education in 2003 by Pope John Paul II.

He also served as vice-president of the Pontifical Work of Priestly Vocations and as a member of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses and the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and as a consultor to the Congregation for Bishops.

Father Rosica said he admires Archbishop Miller, and said he has been an excellent role model for others within the Basilian order.

"I've known Archbishop Miller my entire Basilian life; he's been a brother and a source of inspiration for me and many other people. He loves the Church, and his experience of the last three years at the helm of the Church is very beneficial for a growing local church like the Archdiocese of Vancouver."

Father Rosica thinks Arcbhishop Miller was chosen to serve Vancouver because of its location on the Pacific rim, and its strategic importance for the future of the Church. He pointed out the extraordinary number of Catholics of Asian descent in the archdiocese, as well as the upcoming 2010 Olympics, as key opportunities for the Church to capitalize on.

"With the Church, you always look at the bigger picture, the bigger pastoral needs, and with the Asian Catholics there is a growing need. I've always admired Vancouver and their care for them, they've always been on the cutting edge of that."

While the Archdiocese of Vancouver may be on the cutting edge of caring for a diverse and growing local church, Archbishop Miller is without question on the cutting edge of Catholic education.

"He's been at the top of Catholic education, overseeing it all, particularly higher education and priestly formation challenges," he said. "His writings on the papacy are also outstanding. He has written on Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. He's a prolific author, an excellent homilist, and an excellent priest."

Catholic Christian Outreach president Jeff Lockert calls Archbishop Miller pleasant and humble.

"He is a very pleasant and humble man. I had dinner with Archbishop Miller in Rome in 2005, and he is very interested and knowledgeable in the area of Catholic education. He is also someone who is interested in others, and he asked us many questions and was very genuine," he said. "I found Archbishop Miller to be a very gracious and understanding person."

David Sylvester echoed Lockert's sentiments.

"When I saw him lecture, he was incredibly articulate, well spoken, and intelligent, but he was also accessible and personable. He speaks very clearly on issues, is a fabulous communicator, and is very approachable."

"Archbishop Miller coming to Vancouver is tremendously exciting to me. We're not just maintaining the status quo; we're growing, we're moving forward, we're responding to the synod, and looking to meet the needs of society."