On October 11, before more than 70 in attendance, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath delivered his annual State of the Diocese report at the Catholic Professionals Breakfast at Three Flames Restaurant in San Jose.
Speaking for more than an hour, the bishop touched on a variety of topics including the welcoming of Coadjutor Bishop Oscar Cantú in late September, the state of Catholic education, Diocese of San Jose seminarians, Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA), clergy sexual abuse scandal and the status of the South County High School project among others.
Bishop McGrath came to the Diocese in the fall of 1998 as coadjutor bishop, working with founding Bishop Pierre DuMaine. On November 27, 1999 upon the retirement of Bishop DuMaine, Bishop McGrath became the second bishop of San Jose.
Now Bishop McGrath has welcomed Bishop Cantú to San Jose. There is no official date for Bishop McGrath’s retirement. Once he and Bishop Cantú have determined a date that is acceptable to the Holy See, Bishop McGrath will retire.
“Bishop Cantú will make a good Bishop here,” said Bishop McGrath about his successor, who was not in attendance. “He is a perfect addition to our community. Bishop Cantú is very reflective and quiet and he’s a good listener. I think this will be an excellent transition to the future. I look forward to working with him and helping him in the years to come.”
In addition, Bishop McGrath spent several minutes addressing the clergy abuse scandal. On October 18, the Diocese released the names of clergy with credible allegations of sexual abuse of children.
“We are doing our very best in the Diocese to make sure it never happens again,” he said.
Not shying away from another sensitive topic Bishop McGrath addressed his decision to purchase and then sell the $2.3 million house the Diocese bought for his retirement.
“It was very myopic on my part with the housing crisis in Silicon valley,” he said. “I am sorry for doing it.”
Full story at The Valley Catholic.
“It was very myopic on my part with the housing crisis in Silicon valley,” he said. “I am sorry for doing it.”
PLEASSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. We CATHOLICS do NOT suck our thumbs.
Sorry he got caught and exposed. The final years of the McGrath era are being marked by one scandal, statement, explanation after another, capping off a reign of material prosperity but spiritual decline. He probably wants to be out sooner than later, and he’s not handing things off to the new bishop in a state of strength.
Tony,
I didn’t find any fault with the apology. The housing purchase starkly showed that he was deeply clueless about who a bishop is. His apology doesn’t erase this fact, but it was nice that he at least recognizes the error.
The problem with the apology is that that is wholly inadequate. It exposes his complete incompetence. And this extends well beyond the real estate market. Like when he ‘releases names’ of sexual predator clergy but the leaves out 11 Jesuits, and then says they weren’t included because they belonged to a religious order. Now, when will the next shoe drop? Can he just keep apologizing? The buck doesn’t stop with the bishops, it stops with stupid Catholics who put up with them for decades.
Somebody needs a grammar refresher. The sentence about ‘buying and then selling’ [something] has no object. Those of us familiar with this from earlier articles know it was a house.
At least Bishop McGrath admitted his mistake.
Thank you, the article has been updated.