The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is bracing to officially welcome its 10th Archbishop, Robert Casey, during a ceremony set for today at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains. Archbishop-designate Casey, age 57, who previously served as an Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, will be filling the position left vacant by his predecessor, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, following his resignation in February. As reported by FOX19 NOW, Casey expressed his anticipation of the move, stating, "It's been a whirlwind of trying to tie up all of my loose ends after a lifetime in Chicago."
While Casey may find himself amid an atmosphere of change and challenges, he has resolved to not only reach disenfranchised Catholics but also create a more welcoming environment within the church. In a statement obtained by WLWT, Casey shared, "It's less a work of bringing people back to the church and more of the work of bringing people into the church." This sentiment echoes his stance on embracing dialogue and building relationships even with those with differing beliefs and cultural practices.
The needs of Greater Cincinnati's Catholic community have been rapidly changing, and the pandemic only served to accelerate underlying trends, including a decline in Mass attendance and a scarcity of new priests. Casey discussed the challenges ahead with The Enquirer, "For many in the church, they look at the pandemic as the moment that people left the church. And the truth is, as with so many other aspects of the pandemic, things were exacerbated. They were advanced more quickly. It wasn’t that it was something new. It was that our eyes were opened to a reality that was already existing."
Archbishop-designate Casey is also entering at a time when the Catholic Church is grappling with past scandals, including the clergy abuse crisis. He acknowledged the importance of creating a safe environment moving forward, telling FOX19 NOW, "Our Church has a very important role to play right now in this work." As for the hotly debated topic of the Girl Scouts' presence in parishes, which his predecessor banned, Casey potentially reconsidered the stance during his interview with The Enquirer.
By all accounts, community engagement seems a top priority for Casey, who is also famously a sports enthusiast. He expressed a readiness to immerse himself in the local fandom. He found common ground in Cincinnati's love for Graeter's ice cream, a safer topic than local chili rivalries, according to his conversation with FOX19 NOW. "Everybody agrees that Graeter's is wonderful ice cream," Casey quipped.
The ceremony, which is expected to see Archbishop Schnurr passing the crosier to Casey, marks a symbolic and literal transfer of leadership. This event within the Catholic community will be streamed live across FOX19 NOW's digital platforms to allow broad participation from the faithful and interested onlookers alike.
