Bishop William K. Weigand is away this week, but the following is a major portion of Bishop Richard Hanifen’s homily during Bishop Weigand’s 25th anniversary Mass on November 21, 2005.

After the humiliating experience of himself in the passion, Peter is able to say to Jesus, “I love you.” “I love you despite my weakness, my denial, my sinful fear, I love you.” “I love you with a passion that enables me to do what you ask despite the danger.” “Feed my lambs,” Jesus, charges; “Shepherd my people.” (Jn 21:15-19)

Further, Jesus tells Peter that this new kind of boldness born out of love, not pride, will lead him to his own passion. “Amen, amen I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

I have thought of Bishop Weigand in similar terms. When young and inspired to answer God’s call to priesthood, I’ll just bet he thought sometimes, “I can do a better job than that.” Then, as he served in his home Diocese of Boise and in Colombia where he was a missionary, he surely came in touch more and more with his own humanness and the limits on this youthful fervor.

How could he have ever known, though, that, with all the obstacles that inevitably meet the priest in ministry, he would be singled out by Pope John Paul II to become a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church and serve her in the Diocese of Salt Lake City. “William,” he might have heard, “do you love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” “Feed my sheep.” “Feed them in the midst of that missionary diocese, in the midst of the Mormon State of Utah.” “Travel the 84,000 square miles of that diocese from Idaho to Nevada, and on to the borders of Colorado and Arizona.”

And, just maybe, Bishop Weigand began to experience what it means to grow older and to have his hands bound in obedience while he is led to a place in life where he did “not want to go.” I think most of us bishops felt that way at the call to episcopal ministry. But, with a diocese vibrant in its mission and becoming almost comfortable to its shepherd, there came another call, “Bill, do you still love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know I still love you.”

“Feed my sheep in the Diocese of Sacramento.”

And so, hands bound once again, and led to a new and strange place for him, Bishop Weigand answered the call. This was no Salt Lake City! This was big time stuff! The capital of the great State of California, seat of government and the home of now famous governors, who would eventually come to know this bishop, willingly or otherwise. This was new and, in many ways, threatening.

Yet, there was always a tune somehow playing in the background of Bishop Weigand’s life — prayer. I know. I have prayed much and often with him. And through this I have seen him grapple with his own self doubts, exciting plans, worried concerns about things at home while he was away. Somehow, there was always a depth of sincerity and reflection in his life that sustained both him and the people he serves. Never running away from the need to confront himself before the Lord, he never took himself or God for granted.

Two remodeled Cathedrals later, you would think that was enough binding and leading. You would think that enough had been accomplished in his life. Maybe now - a time of well deserved rest! And then came the perfect excuse to throw in the towel — liver failure! “Bill, do you love me?” comes again into his ears. “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Receive a new liver and get back to work!” “I will send you the finest fire fighter in all of California, Dan Haverty! Allow him to give new life to you and your people with the gift of some of his liver. In fact, he will give you more of his liver than he will keep for himself. He will risk all this because he honors who you are and what you stand for. It is now your time to receive and be gracious in the gift”. “Yes, Lord, you know I love you, and I know now, more than ever, that you love me,” Bishop Weigand responds.

And so, blessed by the past, faithful to the call, and looking to a new future, your bishop stands here to thank God, with all of us, for the gift of these 25 years of service. My guess is that he wouldn’t go back to change all that he feared, all that he left behind, all that he felt he was inadequate to do, for this moment of the triumph of God’s grace. It’s almost as though we can hear the Lord say, “I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest... The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal..., shepherding them rightly.” (Ez 34:15-16) “And I will do this through my shepherd, William.”

On into the unknown future will go Bishop Weigand. Now he is refreshed with a part of Dan Haverty, sustained by the love of his priests, deacons, religious, family and people, and nourished by the Sacrosanctissimo Sacramento, the Most Blessed Sacrament. Who knows what the Lord will now ask him of love? Who knows what Bishop Weigand will decide to do with that love. We thank you, friend and shepherd for these 25 years of loving response to the call. Ad multos annos, Bill.

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