Returning to a two-bishop system

By Paul Schratz

It's been a while since this diocese had an auxiliary or coadjutor bishop; it was back in the 1980s, when Archbishop James Carney had Bishop Lawrence Sabatini, CS, as an auxiliary.

Many would say Archbishop Roussin's decision to bring in assistance is long overdue. Considering the explosive growth of Vancouver and environs, as well as the evolution of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, it's a wonder Vancouver's shepherds have managed as well as they have.

A strong system of episcopal vicars has helped supervise such super-ministries as education, yet the demands on Vancouver's bishops have been extraordinary, as the Catholic population has risen to 429,000 from 120,000 in 1971.

The archdiocese is dealing with a technology explosion that has put huge communications and information demands on all departments. The Catholic post-secondary education system is growing. The archdiocese faces complex and challenging health-care demands and is carving out its place in a post-religious environment, a city that's becoming increasingly globalized and assuming a prominent place on the Asia Pacific rim.

The tipping point may have come from the archdiocesan synod, released last December, which calls for substantial expansion in areas like education, faith formation, social services, liturgy, and evangelization: just a few of the top 40 propositions.

Then there are Archbishop Roussin's personal goals for his diocese. They're less tangible, but arguably of greater importance, since they deal with the need to develop the personal call to holiness among priests and lay people of the archdiocese.

This is a very different diocese from the days of James Carney, who as auxiliary bishop in 1966 saw the beginning of the city's transformation, till it reached top speed during the Exner years. During all of those post-Expo, post-Hong-Kong, and now pre-Olympics days, as Vancouver became regarded by many as the best place to live on earth, the Catholic Church in Vancouver has operated under a single archbishop who tried to address all the demands that lay ahead.

With incoming coadjutor Archbishop Michael Miller, the road ahead will get a little smoother. Archbishop Roussin says, "For a major archdiocese like Vancouver, with more than 400,000 Catholics, facing such complexities and opportunities for growth, while implementing the resolutions from our synod, I know Archbishop Miller will be a great help, especially considering his background and the richness of his service to the Church."

The education background alone of Vancouver's new assistant will benefit the diocese as it makes education a priority in the coming years. Archbishop Miller is the No. 2 man in the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education, making him perfectly placed to oversee such key synod elements as education and faith formation.

The Ottawa-born Basilian was ordained by Pope Paul VI and appointed to his present position by Pope John Paul II.

He has a background in Latin American studies, taught at a Catholic high school, and completed his licentiate and doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

He has been on the faculty of the Department of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Tex., later serving as its chairman and as dean of the School of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary. In 1990 he was named the university's vice president for academic affairs.

From 1992 to 1997 Archbishop Miller worked in the English-language section of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, and in 1997 he became the seventh president of the University of St. Thomas in Houston until January 2004.

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

He speaks several languages, including French, and has published seven books and more than 100 articles: scholarly, popular, and journalistic.

Archbishop Miller has received honorary doctorates from St. Michael's College (Vermont), University of Dallas (Texas), University of St. Thomas (Texas) and University of Steubenville (Ohio).

Archbishop Miller told The B.C. Catholic that the education focus in this diocese was one of the things that excited him most about his new position. "I'm thrilled that there are several initiatives for tertiary education, and I'm thrilled that the Seminary of Christ the King is in the archdiocese. Vancouver also seems to have very extensive outreach programs, and those are all wonderful signs of a diocese that is vibrant."

Perhaps not unexpectedly, some news stories about the new coadjutor have ignored the complex reality of extreme diocesan growth and focused instead on the more simplistic angle of Archbishop Roussin's public battle with depression two years ago.

The archbishop now regards himself as recovered, something in evidence this spring when he waged a high-profile and successful battle with Telus over cell-phone pornography, catching the respectful eye of media and observers around the world.

Considering that auxiliaries and coadjutors weren't uncommon in Vancouver through much of the 20th century, it becomes evident the archdiocese was ripe for a coadjutor, who, with right of succession upon the death or retirement of Archbishop Roussin, 67, would be well placed to cement the outreach plans that are in their infancy now.

Congratulations to Archbishop Roussin for getting the resources the archdiocese needs; and welcome, Archbishop Miller. You're coming at an exciting time.