Bishop Skurla had a very good relationship with Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix. Bishop Olmsted concelabrated with Bishop Skurla for the Episcopal Liturgy at St. Stephens Pro-Cathedral several years ago. Bishop Skurla also filled in for Bishop Olmsted at the annual Rosary Sunday last year in Phoenix due to Bishop Olmsted being in Rome at that time. Gave about 5-10 thousand parishioners in the Diocese a look at an Eastern Rite Bishop. Both are excellent and holy bishops of the Catholic Church!
"redhead", regarding Father Wes, he is now pastor at St. Thomas in the Phoenix area (Gilbert - the East side of the Valley). Know him well also, had fish and pieroghi with him last night! As you know he is a Salesian, hence his title of "Mitered Archimandrite", the Eastern equivalent of "Abbot". Because of that, I would guess that he would not be "kicked upstairs" - he is already pretty high up! I simply mean that usually prelates of this Order usually don't become bishops. (Of course, Bishop Skurla is a Franciscan). We know that Van Nuys already has a new Bishop named to replace Bishop Skurla.
“Bishop William is a very good man with a humble sense of humor. Know him well. Bishop Andrew is retiring due to age. I suspect that Bishop William Skurla was being looked at to eventually replace Bishop Andrew Pataki in that Eparchy all along! It’s been 6 years in the making! I kid you not. I’m sad to see him leave.”
I’m delighted to hear that. While Bishop Pataki is/was a good Bishop, we really do need a young, dynamic Bishop for what is already a larger eparchy (but could be much larger.)
The south is a place of great promise for the Byzantines and it’s potential hasn’t been tapped. Keep in mind that the Eparchy of Passaic stretches along most of the eastern seaboard.