Our Opinion Bishop Lucas Had Calming Influence, The State Journal Register, June 5, 2009

Our Opinion: Bishop Lucas Had Calming Influence

The State Journal-Register
June 5, 2009

http://www.sj-r.com/editorials/x124615269/Our-Opinion-Bishop-Lucas-had-calming-influence

Bishop George Lucas of the Springfield Catholic Diocese was introduced as the new archbishop of Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, June 3, 2009 during a press conference in Omaha. Lucas replaces retiring Omaha bishop Elden F. Curtiss, left. Matt Miller/The (Omaha) World-Herald

WHEN BISHOP GEORGE LUCAS arrived in Springfield nearly a decade ago, he assumed leadership of the Springfield Catholic Diocese at perhaps the most turbulent point in its history.

Bishop Daniel Ryan had just resigned following two years of rumors of sexual misconduct, and a civil suit filed shortly thereafter put those allegations into the public record. Many in the diocese assumed Lucas arrived here with a mandate to fix things, though neither Lucas nor anyone else in Church hierarchy ever acknowledged as much.

After lawsuit settlements in sexual misconduct cases in 2003 and 2004, followed by a December 2004 incident in which a priest was severely beaten in Douglas Park, Lucas convened a panel headed by former U.S. Attorney Bill Roberts to look into misconduct among priests in the diocese. The panel’s report, released a year later, amounted to an unprecedented public soul searching by the diocese. Though he had a reserved personality and was not prone to seeking publicity, Lucas was a highly visible figure in the diocese and a reassuring presence.

Without doubt, Lucas’ time in Springfield has brought a sense of calm and order that was not present when he arrived. It was a tough first assignment as bishop, and should serve him well in his new duties as archbishop of the Omaha, Neb., Catholic archdiocese.