Feed My Lambs
by Bishop
William K. Weigand
October 4, 2008
Stepping down so as to step up to new opportunities
As already announced, on Nov. 30 I will celebrate at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament a special Mass of thanksgiving for the many blessings of my years as the eighth Bishop of Sacramento. As you know, too, I have asked the Holy Father to allow me to step down from this heavy responsibility on that date, the 15th anniversary of my appointment to Sacramento. Bishop Jaime Soto will succeed me and will bring new vision and energy to the diocese. As the ninth Bishop of Sacramento, he will have my full support and confidence.
Four years ago, as I was experiencing significant liver failure, it seemed that I would soon be ending my tenure as Diocesan Bishop because of the long battle with liver disease. But Dan Haverty came to the rescue and selflessly donated to me over two-thirds of his liver through an amazing living donor liver transplant surgery. What a witness that whole episode was!
And it allowed me to continue serving as your shepherd and to bring my pastoral service to a more mature and orderly conclusion. God has blessed me and the diocese amazingly during the period of my illness, recovery and these subsequent three-and-a-half plus years of pastoral service in “overtime.” But it is now time for me to step aside.
God seems to be drawing me to a more contemplative life and ministry. Since my liver transplant surgery, I have continued to do my best to meet the demands of a large diocese. Nevertheless, I do not have the energy I used to have and I find the busy pace taxing. I am also a bit weary after serving for 28 years as a Diocesan Bishop (counting my service to the Diocese of Salt Lake City).
My heart has been longing to be free to spend more time simply with the Lord, to be in prayer, to savor the precious moments of the day, and of “being” rather than “doing”; to admire the sunrise and enjoy the sunset; to “smell the roses” and be amazed by God’s fingerprints in nature; to take time to notice both the beauty and the pain in the details of people’s lives, etc.
I plan to continue to live in Sacramento and to be a part of your lives, as appropriate, while assisting Bishop Soto and the priests of the diocese from time to time. During the first year or so, I will spend periods of time away from Sacramento to reconnect with family members, friends and co-workers of previous eras of my life: in Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Arizona, and Colombia. I also may spend periods of time in monastic settings, perhaps also in the Holy Land.
To facilitate the travel and maintain a certain independence, I have replaced my pop-up tent trailer of many years with a travel trailer. Later, the travel trailer will also allow me an increased opportunity for camping and fishing. Along the way, I hope to do some writing, including some family history, but more notably perhaps some prayerful reflections back over my life’s journey and its many surprising turns and providential moments.
Lots of people tell me that “retirement” is a learning experience, so I am ready also “to play it by ear.” How ever this next phase of life develops in practice, though, the good people of the Diocese of Sacramento will continue to be the focus of my prayer. I know that I can count on your prayers, as well.
