by Father Colin Bircumshaw pastor, St. Ann Parish and Diocesan Consultor SALT LAKE CITY — "If you want to make God laugh, tell him what your plans are." I don’t know who the original author of this quote is, but many times in his 11 years of ministry here in Utah, I have heard Bishop Niederauer evoke this wise adage. When I heard the news of Bishop Niederauer’s appointment as Archbishop of San Francisco, the first thing I thought of, somewhat selfishly, I confess, was, "how sad for the Church in Utah." The second thing I thought of was that adage of Bishop George. The third thing I thought of was "how blessed is the Church in San Francisco." Then I remembered the second thing I though of, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him what your plans are," and thought, "I wonder if Bishop Niederauer made God laugh just before he himself got the news?" In my years of priestly ministry, I marvel how God’s providence has provided our diocese with the bishop we needed for the challenges of our times. My seminary years and "salad days" of priestly ministry were spent under the "fatherly" tutelage of Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal. I remember how devastated I felt when I heard the news that he had announced his retirement. I hadn’t even imagined being a priest without the fatherly support and leadership of Bishop Federal. He had been the right bishop for so many years. And then came Bishop William K. Weigand. Young and energetic, a missionary in South America, he brought gifts to a diocese challenged by enormous population growth, exploding Hispanic ministry needs, lay ministry development, and the major restoration of the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Bishop Weigand stretched and challenged us in ministry, and modeled a life of prayer and asceticism. Bishop Weigand was truly the right bishop for those times. And then, 11 years ago, the "spiritual director" and "English Doctor" from California came from the West – Bishop George. And what a delight these years have been. He strengthened the bridges between civic and religious cultures in our society built by his predecessors, even as he build new ones. He brought a wisdom, wit, and "human touch" to every meeting and event and gathering that delighted and charmed. He was always "both/and," never "either/or." To his eloquent preaching, he brought the images and lessons from literature and cinema that brought the Gospel alive for young and old, simple and erudite, sinner and saint. His ease and openness with the media deepened and enhanced the image of the Catholic Church in Utah. He, too, was the right bishop for those years of pilgrimage for our diocese. And, in fact, he is not leaving us. He is becoming "our Metropolitan Archbishop" – which sounds a lot more important than simply "the Archbishop" of San Francisco. So, I won’t exactly bid farewell to Bishop Niederauer. I’ll just change his e-mail in my computer’s address book, and add a silent remembrance for him in the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass each day: "… for our Bishop, N,. (for our Metropolitan Archbishop, George), and for all God’s holy people." And I’d try not to make God laugh too often in the future.
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