Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Archdiocese of Detroit,
With less than a week to go before leaving for Rome for my first visit “Ad Limina,” I want to share my excitement and hopes for this very special moment in the life of the Archdiocese. As the Archbishop has written, such a visit takes place every five years…and actually it has been almost seven years since the last such visit.
The Ad Limina is an opportunity for us to take stock of the life of this local Church as we make a report to the Holy Father and the Roman Congregations on what has happened over these past years. It is not so much just taking stock of the activity of the Holy Spirit here, but focusing our energies on the tasks that lie ahead, and noting—for ourselves, I think, and not just for those with whom we share these insights—the trends in Catholic life here. So, we examine our life not just in the statistics and trends that emerge from the reports, but also mark a way forward.
My hope is that our time for prayer together at the tombs of Peter and Paul, and at the other basilicas of Rome, will help us place our lives and ministry as bishops in a wider, deeper context—which is the context of faith. Each time I have been to Rome (and there have been only four or five times), I am always surprised at the new hope I receive. Seeing the crowds of people from all over the world, and getting to meet some of these folks personally, reinforces for me the hope that the Lord is truly leading His Church. As diverse as we are, we are one family! Hearing what is happening in Asia and Africa or parts of Europe or Latin America helps me understand how the same trends, the same challenges, are ours here in Detroit. Better still, our “one Lord, one faith, one Baptism” energizes us to understand and face those challenges. At the end of the day, we are brothers and sisters facing them with the power of the Spirit—who sometimes moves in surprising ways!
Last September, Bishop Byrnes and Bishop Cepeda and I were in Rome for “Bishops’ School,” as we called it, along with 114 other bishops ordained within the previous year, representing 33 different countries. Twelve of our brother bishops represented the Oriental Churches. We celebrated Mass at the Tomb of Peter, visited the Sistine Chapel in small groups, without the usual crowds. One morning we visited the Holy Father at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence, and met him briefly, to greet him personally and shake his hand. I remember telling him my name and saying I was from Detroit, and saying that I brought him all our prayers and best wishes. He looked me directly in the eye, smiling, and said, “…and I give you all my blessings!” As we explored the grounds afterwards, we were a bit like school kids on a picnic, posing in small groups for pictures and laughing.
This time, we will visit several of the Vatican dicasteries, or commissions, with some matters to present. Chief among them, for me, will be our visit to the Congregation for the Saints, where we will—as Bishops from Michigan and Ohio—present our request for the Beatification of Fr. Solanus Casey, Capuchin, and ask that Bishop Frederick Baraga, the “Snowshoe Priest” of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, be declared Venerable. Presenting your prayers and works of charity in a “Spiritual Bouquet” to the Holy Father will most certainly be another highlight. Pope Benedict, in the context of our visit, is not someone I see as a “boss,” but as a spiritual father and wise older brother. Prayer is the best kind of link to him and to his ministry to the worldwide Church for all of us representing the Church in Detroit.
Along with Bishop Frank Reiss, I will be staying for the week or so in Rome at the residence of Archbishop Joe Tobin, a friend and fellow former pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Parish. We will undoubtedly share Detroit stories! I will be able to repay the loan of some Euro he got for me from a Vatican Bank ATM to pay for my cab to the airport last time…!
Naturally, I go as a brother with the Bishops of Michigan and Ohio, and look forward to getting to know all of them better. I expect time for some prayer, some serious discussion…and, some laughter over a meal or two. During these days in Rome, I will be thinking of folks from home, my family and the various parish families where I have served. I promise that I will take my prayers for you as I walk the footsteps of the Apostles and Martyrs of Rome.
More later!
+Bishop Don Hanchon
