Feeling the "Bern," For Good – Pope Names Hebda as Twin Cities Archbishop

Amid an epic storm of clerical misconduct and mishandling of allegations that's engulfed the Twin Cities church in criminal charges, Chapter 11 bankruptcy, some 400 lawsuits and this Holy Thursday brings the 850,000-member fold a richly-deserved Easter gift: the new archbishop, and one who can hit the ground running immediately.In an exceedingly rare nod on the Triduum's opening day, at Roman Noon the Pope named Archbishop Bernard Hebda, 56 – the long-stalled coadjutor of Newark initially parachuted in to tackle the situation as apostolic administrator – as the ninth archbishop of St Paul and Minneapolis, giving the most significant and, by far, challenging assignment on the current US docket to a figure who's already scored high marks for tackling a pastoral, administrative, financial and legal mess with an approach rooted in savvy, outreach and compassion.After a nine-month vacancy, the archbishop-elect now permanently succeeds Archbishop John Nienstedt, whose early resignation at 68 was accepted last June in the wake of county-level criminal charges filed against the archdiocesan corporation, citing its lax response to reports of abusive priests. While no counts were levied against Chancery administrators as individuals, the institutional charges led Rome to pull the plug on the Detroit-born prelate, whose two-year attempt to press forward was further complicated both by the penchant for controversy which the polarizing Nienstedt embraced over his eight-year tenure, as well as by a law firm's investigation commissioned by the archdiocese into allegations of sexual misconduct by the archbishop himself with adult males over several decades. As the report nor its conclusions have ever emerged, Nienstedt's defenders have resolutely insisted upon his innocence of both the personal misconduct claims and any assertions of wrongdoing in abuse cases. Accordingly, having briefly taken up at a parish in Michigan early this year – before a public outcry forced his departure within days – the retired archbishop reportedly sought to portray his ouster from office as being driven by "critics" who, he said, "would like to punish me" for "strong stance that I was forced to take in defense of Catholic teachings, particularly the defense of marriage." Having initially agreed to Nienstedt's stepping in to aid the parish's ill pastor, Bishop Paul Bradley of Kalamazoo subsequently apologized to the entire diocese, saying he hadn't "foreseen the full impact and strong emotional reaction to his presence" there.Developing – more to come.SVILUPPO: Minutes after the announcement was made in Rome, the Twin Cities church released the following letter from the archbishop-elect:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,When I arrived in Minnesota for the first time last June, I was but a visitor -- assigned as Apostolic Administrator to help with the operations of the Archdiocese until Pope Francis named a new Archbishop. In the nine months since then, I have been blessed to witness your deep faith and your commitment to Christ’s Church, His people, and the Eucharist. I consider many of you friends.That is why it is with joy that I tell you of Pope Francis’ decision to appoint me as the next Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The Pope and the Holy Spirit evidently had different plans for me than I had anticipated, and I am humbled and honored to be named your shepherd.I know from my nine months in the Archdiocese that there is much work yet to be done to overcome the significant challenges we continue to face, but I am firm in my conviction that the Lord is truly present here, even in our struggles. The exceptional staff and leadership team at the Archdiocese, along with our strong priests, committed religious, and dynamic lay leaders are all reasons for great hope. You all seem to work tirelessly to serve Christ and His people no matter where they are found and for that I am most grateful.It has already been an honor serving you and I very much look forward to continuing to serve you and this vibrant community for as long as the Lord sees fit.Now more than ever, I will be counting on your prayers and support. Be assured of my prayers for you, your families, and this local Church.Sincerely in Christ,Most Reverend Bernard A. HebdaApostolic Administrator and Archbishop-DesignateArchdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

In an extended interview with the archdiocese's Catholic Spirit, Hebda termed the choice of himself – which he only learned about on Tuesday – as "a shock." As for the unusual timing of the announcement, the appointee said that the Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, felt "it would be a beautiful opportunity for the announcement to be made on Holy Thursday, when we focus on the Eucharist, when we focus on the priesthood and when we focus on service. He said those three themes are so important in the life of any diocesan bishop."His installation has been announced for Friday, May 13th.-30-