Milwaukee's newest Catholic bishop blessed the hundreds gathered for his ordination Wednesday, promising to serve them as their pastor and, in characteristic humility, crediting them with bringing him to that day.MJS
"This man's the real deal. He genuinely values people. He will be a very popular bishop," said Father Steven Avella, a Marquette University history professor who taught Hying at the seminary and carried his wooden crosier, or bishop's staff, in the procession of clergy into the cathedral.
Wednesday's Mass drew a number of bishops, mostly from the Midwest, as well as Milwaukee native Archbishop James Harvey, who heads the papal household in Rome. Hying's four living brothers took part in the service, bringing the offertory gifts - the bread and wine - to their brother and his fellow bishops to be consecrated.
Listecki, who celebrated the Mass along with Dolan and Sklba, called Hying a servant-leader, saying, "Today is a proud day for the whole church (and) the faithful of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee."
Hying, who spoke in both English and Spanish during the Mass, acknowledged the oppressive heat outside the mercifully air-conditioned cathedral, saying it appears "God wants me to sweat from the very beginning."
Hying's humility appears to have played a role in the selection of the venue for the new bishop's celebratory dinner.
After Wednesday's Mass, friends and family gathered at St. Francis De Sales - the seminary where Hying visited his older brother as a child and would later go on to lead.
"These kinds of dinners would normally be at the Pfister or Hyatt," said Avella. "But he chose to have it at the seminary. It's home."
MJS has some nice photos available.
The Milwaukee Archdiocese has some photos on Facebook.
Anne @ Imprisoned was there and writes about ordination Mass.
Haha, ran across this:
Fr. Hying’s shoelaces once sold for $75 eachThe whole article at MilCathHerald: Lesser-known facts about Bishop Don Hying
Also some nice coverage at one of the Mil Herald writers blogs, Write 2 The Point.