NEW YORK
CBS 6
ALBANY — For the first time in 37 years, a change at the top of Albany Roman Catholic Diocese. A Brooklyn priest has been appointed by Pope Francis to succeed outgoing Bishop Howard Hubbard.
He was the youngest-elected and is now the longest-serving bishop in America. Monsignor Edward Scharfenberger admitted it was a little overwhelming to accept leadership in a new place. But in introducing himself to a new congregation, he sounded just as much like an authority as an equal.
“Sometimes the shepherd needs some of the sheep to lead him to other sheep where he needs to go and I’ll look to you to show me that,” Scharfenberger said. He only thought he’d be up this way passing through to go to Lake George. “I admired bishops, certainly whose example I like to follow,”
Scharfenberger said. “It didn’t occur to me I’d be here in this position.” Scharfenberger’s election by Pope Francis marks one of the biggest changes to the local Church in decades. It is made, coincidentally, one year to the day after the the worldwide history made by Pope Benedict’s resignation.
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