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	Local Catholics React to Archbishop Announcement By Khalid Moss Dayton Daily News October 17, 2008 http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/10/17/ddn101708archbishopreaxweb.html The half-million Catholics in the diocese of southeastern Ohio got a glimpse into the future of the church on Friday, Oct. 17, when Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cincinnati, announced that bishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Duluth, Minn., will succeed him. Pilarczyk turns 75 next year reaching the mandatory retirement age for Catholic bishops. Local reaction to the news that Pilarczyk is leaving after 25 years is mixed. Kris Ward, chair of the Dayton affiliate of Voice of the Faithful, questioned Schnurr's ability to lead. Voice of the Faithful is a lay reform group formed in 2002 in response to the church's sex-abuse scandal. "It appears this bishop has a mostly administrative background so I would hope he would take time in the next year to improve his pastoral skills," Ward said. "He could start by meeting with survivors of sexual abuse. I would also like to remind him that it is a 19-county diocese. Sometimes archbishops think of it only as Cincinnati." The Rev. Gerald Haemmerle, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Kettering, said he knew Pilarczyk's retirement was coming. "I've enjoyed very much working with the Archbishop," Haemmerle said. "He's been my boss for 26 years now and we will miss him. He was a very good man to work for. As for the new man — honestly, I know nothing about him." Joe Beyerle organized the annual Catholic Rosary Rally at UD Arena and said Pilarczyk had his share of critics. "You can't satisfy everybody," said Beyerle who met with Pilarczyk on two occasions. "Some say he mishandled the priests, but that was hindsight. All in all I think he's done a very good job but that was one area that I didn't think he handled very well." The Rev. Gerald Chinchar, campus priest ay the University of Dayton, was taken aback by the timing of the announcement. "I was very surprised that a coadjutor was appointed so early," Chunchar said. "I hadn't even heard Pilarcyzk had submitted his letter of resignation. Usually they only appoint a coajutor if the bishop is ill so I don't know what this means. As for bishop Schnurr, I never heard of him." Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2167 or kmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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