Milwaukee's new leader hails from St. Louis

Archbishop-elect of Milwaukee Timothy M. Dolan addresses members of Milwaukee-area media on June 25. (photo courtesy of Milwaukee Catholic Herald)

Milwaukee's new archbishop, Auxiliary Bp. Timothy Dolan of St. Louis, will be installed Aug. 28 in St. John the Evangelist Cathedral, Milwaukee.

Bp. Robert Banks of Green Bay is among the bishops who hailed Pope John Paul's June 25 selection of Archbishop-designate Dolan.

"I'm delighted to hear of his appointment," Bp. Banks said. "He is a fine man and I think he will be a great leader for the archdiocese. I look forward to working with him."

Archbishop-designate Dolan succeeds Abp. Rembert Weakland, who turned in his resignation on April 2 when he turned 75, as required by canon law. In May, his resignation was accepted by Pope John Paul after disclosure of a financial settlement of a sexual harassment case brought against him.

Archbishop-designate Dolan, 52, was named an auxiliary bishop for St. Louis last year. Until shortly before his appointment to St. Louis, he was rector of the North American College in Rome.

The archbishop-designate is a native of St. Louis, where he was vice rector of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary before his appointment in 1994 to the Rome seminary. He also was on the staff of the apostolic nunciature in Washington for two years.

He was ordained as a bishop Aug. 15, 2001, by St. Louis Abp. Justin Rigali at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

Archbishop-designate Dolan has master's and doctoral degrees in church history from The Catholic University of America in Washington.

He attended the former St. Louis Preparatory Seminary South and Cardinal Glennon College and did his theological studies at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

After his ordination in 1976, he was associate pastor at parishes in Richmond Heights and Shrewsbury, Mo.

He is the author of Priests for the Third Millennium (Our Sunday Visitor Books), which discusses the joys, challenges and requirements for modern priests.

In an official statement released to the Milwaukee Catholic Herald, Archbishop-designate Dolan said, "I come before you humbled, honored, hopeful, happy, excited ... most of all grateful. Grateful to the Lord for the rich heritage and promising future of this faithful church of Milwaukee.

"Already I can say from my heart: I love you, I need you, I relish the prospect of coming to know you, listening to you, and serving you. The appointment for me is an occasion of spiritual renewal and recommitment. I hope it will be for you, too. I would deeply appreciate your prayers, as I promise you mine, with reliance, especially upon our blessed Mother, Mary."

In welcoming the new archbishop, Auxiliary Bp. Richard Sklba, who has been serving as administrator of the Milwaukee Archdiocese since Abp. Weakland's retirement, said "I know that he will find our priests and people eager to receive the blessings of his priestly experience over the years and most cooperative in forging a bond of united service to all the parishes of southeastern Wisconsin.

"In particular," Bp. Sklba said, "I am delighted to learn of his special studies and personal interest in the history of the church in these United States, particularly the liturgical and biblical movement in our country. Moreover, his experience in all the areas of pastoral formation for priesthood and ministry will become a source of great service to all of us."

Abp. Rigali said Archbishop-designate Dolan's "love for the church, acute pastoral sensitivity, enthusiastic commitment to the truth, and vigorous holiness of life have been conspicuous during this year that he has served among us. We have been greatly blessed."

Pro-life Wisconsin state director Peggy Hamill hailed the selection of the new archbishop as an answer to their prayers "for strong clerical leadership in Wisconsin in defense of God's precious gift of life." He is "known to consistently and publicly proclaim the Gospel of Life," she said.

The new Milwaukee archbishop is the brother of former WGEE, Green Bay, radio announcer Bob Dolan, who also broadcast UWGB men's basketball games.