The Quotable Skylstad

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Dec 30, 2005

Highlights from USCCB President Bishop William Skylstad's address to the American College at Louvain (December 5, 2005):

• "During these last years of crisis, we bishops have had to face an extraordinary moment in terms of the public image of the Church. Especially in 2002, I did not recognize the image of bishops presented to the public in so many depictions in the media. I did hear and read about things that surprised and even disappointed me."


• "It has been a humbling experience to be cast in the glare of publicity as men who failed in our responsibility. And even if, in conscience, we are not sure that charge is a fair one, it has reminded us that we are the successors of men who, in their own time, were reviled for preaching the gospel, not respected for it."


• "Christ is in the midst of our participative structures, as he said he would be wherever two or three are gathered in his name. They involve meetings of disciples who are known as Christ's disciples by their love for one another."


• "And in the end, it is a pretense to think that the contributions of the faithful in some form or other have been and will have to be used to bring an end to diocesan litigation. All the funds of the Church belong to the community of faith. It is foolhardy to separate one pocket from the other."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V). Interested persons should know that the USCCB offers "competitive starting salaries with excellent work environment and fringe benefit package including free parking. Close proximity to Metro (Red Line - Brookland/CU)."