Bishop George L. Thomas, installed as the 10th Bishop of Helena on June 4, has certainly hit the ground running. He squeezed in this interview with the Montana Catholic staff before leaving on a whirlwind trip which took him to Great Falls for their diocesan centennial anniversary, to Denver for the USCCB retreat and meeting, and then on to Rome for an ad limina visit with the Holy Father. His answers are condensed for reasons of space.
Q: As Auxiliary
Bishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle, I’m sure that you often found yourself
deferring to the style and priorities of the ordinary, Archbishop Brunett. Now
that you are the ordinary, I’m sure your own style and priorities will come
to the front. How would you describe that style?
A: At my core, I am a parish priest; I have a pastor’s heart. I have a love
for the Lord, a deep affection for the Church, and an identity with ordinary
people – their joys, cares and concerns.
I’m a very good listener and try to find consensus whenever possible. I have a good eye for leadership, both in seeing potential and fostering it. I seek to cultivate and call forth the gifts of the clergy and laity alike.
I’m also eternally optimistic. My father grew up in Kansas, and six generations of wheat farming taught the family much about facing the hardships of life. My mother came from a Butte mining family and experienced all the difficulties that presented. Our Catholic faith and family served as a bedrock. I have a firm conviction that Providence will always carry us through.
Q: Are there
certain issues that you suspect will be the focus of your efforts in the coming
years?
A: Each diocese has unique and varied pastoral needs. My first priority will
be to engage both the pastors and laity in forthright dialogue. Out of this,
priorities can be set. I do know that some things are to be sought everywhere,
such as ensuring a vigorous parish life centered around the Eucharist – the
source and summit of our faith.
The diocese has some very excellent, competent people whose advice I’m sure I will rely on, including Monsignor Kevin O’Neill, Father John Robertson, the area vicars, the clergy, religious and various lay leaders.
Q: Several times
now, you have mentioned the need for unity rather than uniformity in the Church.
Could you elaborate on that?
A: The Bishop is both a sign and an instrument of unity, and the guarantor of
diversity. He is sent forth to call all people to Christ. There’s not one way;
we do not need to walk in lock-step. In the Church there is room for a wide
array of apostolates and expressions of prayer. I have a high comfort level
with the many ways that people encounter Christ, including work among the poor
and needy, devotional prayer, academic theology and varied expressions of music.
The Eucharist and the ministry of the bishop bring all of us together as one
Body of Christ.
Q: You have
said that you would like everyone – regardless of gender, age, economic status,
language or condition – to feel welcome in the Church. How does this “wish”
become reality in the Diocese of Helena?
A: Our hospitality and welcome must be based on the mind and heart of the Lord
himself. His arms were open to everyone. He didn’t condone sinful behavior,
but asked people for a change of heart. He would say, “Follow me.” He would
say, “Go, and sin no more,” to some people. But I think that it’s love, grace,
friendship and welcome that changes people.
By the way, I’ve experienced this dramatically already in my own reception in this diocese. I think this is a pastoral style that’s well in place already – and one that’s rooted in the gospel.
Q: Have you
worked much with Native Americans in the Archdiocese of Seattle? How has that
affected your ministry?
A: I had the privilege of celebrating the Eucharist with our Native American
communities, as well as the wide array of cultural groups in the Archdiocese
of Seattle. I would learn the greeting of the Mass and the conclusion of the
Prayers of the Faithful in the native tongue of the community I was celebrating
with. It was a lot of fun and said to the people, “We honor your tradition and
culture. You are an important part of our community.”
I am a historian by training, and I know well the pivotal role of Native Americans in establishing the Catholic religion in this region. Beginning with participation at Indian Days in Browning in July, I hope to be present to the Native American communities in the diocese, and celebrate their life and history as one of our great treasures.
Q: Four former
bishops of this diocese were present at your installation – an event which may
be unique throughout the history of the Church. What unique contributions do
you see each of those former bishops as having made that you are especially
grateful for?
A: I’m indebted to all of the bishops who have preceded me. I’m grateful for
Archbishop Hunthausen’s dedication to justice and peace and his deep love for
Christ. I’m grateful to Archbishop Curtiss and his enthusiasm for priestly vocations
and priestly life and his very clear understanding of Catholic ecclesiology.
Archbishop Brunett is a bishop with over 35 years experience as a pastor, and
that has been a powerful gift to the Church. He is also one of the architects
of ecumenical dialogue worldwide. Bishop Morlino is an expert in moral theology
and has a great passion for Carroll College, for seminary life and for vocations
to the priestly ministry. I’ve learned from every one of them – their different
pastoral styles, their different ways of serving people – and I hope to glean
the best of all those worlds.
Q: How did your formal Catholic education shape your vocation? What are your plans for Catholic education in the Diocese of Helena? A: I was very influenced by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A very faith-filled group of women, they are adept at educating young people in the foundations – writing, reading, mathematics and theology. That education has been bedrock to my family. I had the same experience with the Christian Brothers at Butte Boys’ Central. They are a very academically gifted group of men and prepared us well. Carroll College continued this process for so many of us. I had a very solid Catholic education as a result of this diocese’s investment in youth. I want to continue that tradition.
There’s a real hunger for Catholic education and formation, and the Church has to partner with parents to provide it – either by guiding some of the initiatives that are underway or, God willing, by finding the resources to create high-quality education systems that can be supported into the future.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I’m a great devotee of Catholic education. I’m equally as committed to making sure that kids in the public schools have access to high quality faith formation.
Q: The Montana
Catholic recently featured a special section on “Faithful Citizenship.”
How can local churches engage parishioners in faithful citizenship?
A: The key is formation. Diocesan leadership has a responsibility for providing
an informed opinion, advisories and formation materials that reflect the mind
of the Church. We have the obligation to help form the conscience of our people
before they reach the polling place.
The homily is designed to proclaim the presence and action of the Lord in the community and in the lives of our people. Catechists have to be widely and well informed about the mind of the Church when catechizing the people in moral and social teaching. This is especially important in light of the complex issues we’re facing today.
Q: Tell us something
about your episcopal motto and how you came to choose it.
A: My episcopal motto, “Christ our light,” is taken from the Easter liturgy.
The entrance of the paschal candle into the darkened church is a dramatic symbol
of the power of the resurrection shattering the darkness of life. This reflects
my radical optimism in the gospel of Christ, in the resurrection.
I chose a number of symbols for my coat of arms because I have a high esteem for family life. A pick and shovel symbolize my mother’s heritage – a hard working labor family of Irish miners from County Cork who came to Butte. Two shocks of wheat symbolize my father’s family; he was raised in the wheat fields of Kansas. There are two shocks because the name “Thomas” means “twin.” And then the symbol of the Blessed Mother – Our Lady of Perpetual Help played a large part in our family’s history, and the Blessed Mother has played a very large part in my priestly spiritual life.
Q: Describe
your normal routine for a day when you’re not on the road.
A: I haven’t found one here yet. I’m too new to really have a routine – I’m
still trying to find time to unpack my boxes.
Q: What are
some of your favorite leisure activities?
A: I have a very large extended family, so in Seattle I treasured family time.
I have 15 nieces and nephews, and we had a lot of family dinners and gatherings.
I won’t have that opportunity nearly as much here, but hope to spend time with
brother priests and newly established friends.
I’m a voracious reader, and enjoy reading theology, history and literature. I am a strong swimmer – I was a lifeguard when I was younger – and try to get a workout each day.
Q: I’ve heard that you’re a vegetarian. What could someone fix if you came to their house for dinner? A: Well, I was a vegetarian for about 13 years, but when I became a bishop and had to be on the road constantly, that became impractical, so I added poultry and fish. If people serve any kind of poultry or fish, I’m a happy man.
Q: Do you intend
to start fly fishing again?
A: My grandfather taught my brother and me to fly fish. We would cast into an
inner tube in the back yard until we got quite proficient at it. One of my parishioners
in Seattle gave me a beautiful, top-drawer fly rod, and I look forward to re-learning
this art.
Q: Have you
met any of your old classmates since you’ve been back?
A: I’ve had a large number of phone calls, notes and letters expressing a warm
welcome home. I’ve been contacted by classmates from grade school, high school
and college, and look forward to meeting old friends in person as I travel about
the diocese. It has been a joyful homecoming.
Q: What will
you miss most about living in Seattle? What are you looking forward to in Montana?
A: The loss of direct daily contact with my family will be a challenge, but
through telephone and e-mail, I hope to stay close. I won’t miss the heavy traffic
or the rainy season.
I look forward to rekindling old friendships and re-establishing relationships – especially with the priests. I love the Helena clergy so much; they’ve been a huge influence on my vocation.
One of my favorite parts of ministry is being among the people – celebrating liturgy, preaching and teaching in the communities of the diocese – so I look forward to that very much.
Q: Anything
you would like to say to the people of the diocese?
A: I want to express my profound gratitude for the warm wonderful welcome I’ve
received here, and look forward to a life-long ministry in the Diocese of Helena.
Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 20, No. 6, June 18, 2004.