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New Harrisburg, Pa. bishop 'stunned' by appointment
cna ^ | January 24, 2014 | Elise Harris

Posted on 01/25/2014 4:55:28 AM PST by NYer

Bishop Ronald W. Gainer.

Bishop Ronald W. Gainer.

Vatican City, Jan 24, 2014 / 09:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican announced that Bishop Ronald Gainer will be leaving his post in Lexington, Ky. to take the helm in the diocese of Harrisburg, Pa. – a transfer which is both a surprise and a joy.

“While I was completely surprised and, quite frankly, stunned by the news of my transfer, I willingly and happily accept our Supreme Pastor’s decision as God’s will for us and for me,” Bishop Gainer stated in a Jan. 24 press release announcing the transfer.

Bishop Ronald William Gainer, 66, will succeed Bishop Joseph P. McFadden as the eleventh Bishop of the Harrisburg, Pa. diocese, who died last year on May 2, 2013.

“In the coming weeks there will be opportunities for me to express my sincere gratitude to all the faithful of the diocese and to say our good-byes,” he said, but “for now I humbly ask for a remembrance in your daily prayers and at Mass, as together we face the challenges of this transition.”

Asking for special prayers on behalf of all of the faithful in the Harrisburg diocese, the bishop assured them that I will continue to pray for the faithful of the Lexington Diocese.”

Bishop Gainer was born on Aug. 24, 1947 in Pottsville, Pa., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1973 for the diocese of Allentown. He was consecrated and installed as the Bishop of Lexington, Ky. on Feb. 22, 2003.

The bishop completed his studies at the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 1973, having earned a Master of Divinity degree summa cum laude, as well as a licentiate in Canon Law and a diploma in Latin Letter from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1986.

For the majority of his priesthood, Bishop Gainer has served in parish, campus ministry, marriages and family, and tribunal positions, and was Secretary of Catholic Life and Evangelization for the Diocese of Allentown.

On a national level, the bishop is a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Administrative Committee, as well as a member of the Committee on Priorities and Planning.

He has served as Chair of the Region V of the USCCB, and has also worked on the Committee on Catholic Education, the Committee for Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, as well as a regional representative to the USCCB Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The bishop was also a liaison with the North American Forum on the Catechumenate, and is a part of the Sacred Heart School of Theology Board of Directors.

The Diocese of Harrisburg is complies of 15 counties in Central Pa., including: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York, and has an estimated 249,238 registered Catholics.

The Mass for Bishop Gainer’s installation will take place in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg on Tuesday, March 19, the Feast of Saint Joseph.

As of the public announcement of the transfer earlier this morning, Bishop Gainer has officially become the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Lexington.

Tags: Bishop Appointment


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Ministry/Outreach
KEYWORDS: bishopgainer; harrisburg; pa

1 posted on 01/25/2014 4:55:28 AM PST by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; Berlin_Freeper; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; ...

Congratulations, ping!


2 posted on 01/25/2014 4:55:49 AM PST by NYer ("The wise man is the one who can save his soul. - St. Nimatullah Al-Hardini)
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To: P.O.E.

PA news


3 posted on 01/25/2014 5:23:52 AM PST by randita
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To: randita; fatima; Fresh Wind; st.eqed; xsmommy; House Atreides; Nowhere Man; South Hawthorne; ...
PA Ping!

If you see posts of interest to Pennsylvanians, please ping me.

Thanks!

Thanks randitak for the heads up

4 posted on 01/25/2014 5:28:54 AM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: NYer

Praise to you, Lord our God,
our eternal shepherd and guide.

In your faithfulness,
grant to the Diocese of Harrisburg
a shepherd whose watchful care and kindly zeal
will continue the good work of his predecessors.

In your love for us,
give us a shepherd who will lead us
in being Christ’s heart of mercy,
voice of hope, and hands of justice.

Help him to fill our minds and hearts
with the truth of the Gospel,
the power of the sacraments,
and the desire to build up your holy Church.

We ask this through Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen


5 posted on 01/25/2014 5:30:19 AM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: NYer
The Mass for Bishop Gainer’s installation will take place in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg on Tuesday, March 19, the Feast of Saint Joseph.

March 19 is a Wednesday.

Rather surprised that the Mass of Installation would not be two days earlier on the Catherdral's Patronal Festival.

6 posted on 01/25/2014 6:33:57 AM PST by lightman (O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, giving to Thy Church vict'ry o'er Her enemies.)
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To: lightman

March 19th IS the feast of St. Joseph.


7 posted on 01/25/2014 7:04:25 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: lightman

http://wf-f.org/stjoseph.html


8 posted on 01/25/2014 7:05:17 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

He went to the “wrong” St. Charles Seminary. ;-)

See: http://www.st-charles-cpps.org/grounds.htm


9 posted on 01/25/2014 7:06:44 AM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: NYer

Is Pottsville in the Harrisburg diocese?


10 posted on 01/25/2014 12:29:10 PM PST by rwa265
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