Bishop James D Conley / Instagram (Left), Archbishop Charles J. Chaput / Facebook (Right)
CV NEWS FEED // Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, recently honored Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, calling him “one of the great prophets and teachers of our time,”during a special Mass in honor of the Archbishop’s 80th birthday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Annapolis, Maryland.
In his homily, published by What We Need Now, Bishop Conley likened the Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia to figures from Scripture, noting how the Holy Spirit has worked through him to shape the Church and inspire the faithful.
“Today’s Scriptures speak about the generosity of the Holy Spirit, bestowing gifts on those who are near the teacher, Moses and Jesus respectively, so it is fitting that all of us are gathered here in honor of one of the great teachers of our time,” Bishop Conley said, according to the report.
Referring to stories from the Old Testament and the Gospels, Conley emphasized that Archbishop Chaput, much like Moses and Jesus, encouraged all believers to embrace their callings in service of the Church.
“If there was ever a modern leader who allowed the Holy Spirit to work through all the faithful, it was Archbishop Chaput,” Bishop Conley said, quoting Archbishop Chaput’s words. “‘My job is to get out of the way of the Holy Spirit.’”
“Today … we remember his vast legacy,” the Bishop remarked.
“Archbishop Chaput is not just a man God in his mercy gave us for a time; his legacy will long outlive all of us,” Bishop Conley said, “But it is important that we take on the responsibility of continuing his legacy ourselves.”
Archbishop Chaput released a commentary on Pope Francis’s recent statement that “[Religions] are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all.”
“That all religions have equal weight is an extraordinarily flawed idea for the Successor of Peter to appear to support,” the Archbishop wrote, as CatholicVote reported.
Bishop Conley’s tribute recounted Archbishop Chaput’s rise as a young bishop in Rapid City, South Dakota, and later as Archbishop of Denver, where his work was strongly shaped by the New Evangelization championed by Pope John Paul II.
Bishop Conley noted that Chaput’s role in the New Evangelization, his support for lay apostolates, his revitalization of seminary life, the deep friendships he fostered, and the “infusion of ideas that flowed from [his] furtive intellect and prolific pen,” continue to bear fruit today.
“We know the Archbishop has his detractors, but they do not know the man like we do,” Bishop Conley added.
He continued:
They do not know his profound love for his friends and all those under his care; they do not know his simplicity of life rooted in his Franciscan love of poverty; they do not know his selfless obedience to the Church; they do not know his love for the truth tempered by genuine compassion for the spiritually and materially poor. We know all these things and more, and so we rightly celebrate them today.
Bishop Conley also shared personal memories of Archbishop Chaput’s joyful spirit, particularly during his popular Sunday evening Masses for young adults in Denver. He recalled the packed cathedral and how Chaput inspired the young to strive for greatness.
“He preached the Gospel in a way that challenged the youth but also gave them hope,” Conley said.
Bishop Conley also expressed disappointment that Archbishop Chaput was not elevated to the College of Cardinals, referring to the Archbishop being overlooked as “the worst form of church politics when, for seemingly ideological reasons, a man of poverty, evangelical zeal, and profound intellectual gifts is passed over.”
“I do not think this is something that concerns the Archbishop, as he was never interested in titles or individual honors,” Bishop Conley clarified, later adding, “but it is a sadness for the rest of us because it would have been a gift for the Church.”
Conley concluded by honoring Chaput’s deep love for the Church, reminding the congregation of his episcopal motto, “As Christ loved the Church.”
He called on the faithful to continue Archbishop Chaput’s legacy and prayed that the Archbishop’s witness would “continue to bear radical fruit in our lives and in the life of the Church.”
