NEW JERSEY
Star-Ledger
Archbishop John Myers finally turned 75 Tuesday, the mandatory retirement age for bishops, and announced he intends to step down.
Blessed are we to be rid of this man. During his 15-year tenure as New Jersey’s highest-ranking Catholic, he protected pedophile priests and used church funds to expand an already large weekend house into an opulent retirement mansion.
He urged his flock to vote based on two issues — abortion and gay marriage — at the threat of being denied Holy Communion.
He refused to meet with any of the thousands of parishioners protesting his extravagance, who said the money would be better spent feeding the hungry or housing the homeless; or to answer questions from the press.
And now, in an exit interview with the Bergen Record, he is giving the Pope lessons on how to handle the media. Priceless.
The Catholic Church does tremendous good in this state. It’s not just the schools, the hospitals, the food pantries, and all the charity that helps hold communities together and bind its wounds. It is also a spiritual home that gives so many people meaning and solace. Myers will soon be just a bad memory.
But we hope Pope Francis replaces Myers quickly with someone more in line with his message of change. Could you ever imagine the “people’s pope” building himself a house with six bedrooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, three fireplaces, a three-car garage, an elevator and a hot tub?
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