Bishop-elect McKnight writes to Wichita parishioners of his appointment to head the Jefferson City diocese

Bishop-elect W. Shawn McKnight, who has been designated to succeed Bishop John R. Gaydos as bishop of Jefferson City on Feb. 6, wrote the following column to his parishioners at Church of the Magdalen in the Diocese of Wichita, shortly after his appointment was announced:

As I write this column for the Dec. 3 edition of our parish bulletin, it is the day after Thanksgiving and a day before I depart for Rome for a previously scheduled trip to the Congregation for the Clergy to report on the “Science in Seminaries” project I have been working on for the past three years.

As the old adage goes: Man proposes, but God disposes.

My world changed on the morning of Monday, Nov. 13, when Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States (the Pope’s ambassador), called me out of the blue and told me the Pope had appointed me to Jefferson City.

I was simply asked: “Do you accept?”

And I simply responded: “I do accept.”

A simple conversation, but a grace-filled moment.

Although I am excited about my future episcopal ministry in the Diocese of Jefferson City, I nonetheless mourn the fact that I will have to leave the Church of the Magdalen and the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, my home up until now.

My ordination and installation as the fourth bishop of Jefferson City will be Feb. 6. My last day as pastor of Church of the Magdalen parish will be Jan. 31.

Many people have asked me about the process of how a priest is chosen to be bishop.

As I understand it, when a vacancy occurs (by either the death or the resignation/retirement of a sitting bishop), the Pope’s assistants begin the process of developing a list of three candidates for him to consider.

It begins with the apostolic nuncio, who consults the bishops of the region as well as the clergy and laity of the diocese about the needs of the diocese.

The apostolic nuncio also requests names of possible candidates and follows up with his own investigation of them by writing to certain priests and laity of the diocese where a priest-candidate is from.

At the end of this consultative process within the United States (which is under strict secrecy), the apostolic nuncio sends a “terna” of three candidates in order of priority (1, 2, 3) with complete dossiers on each to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome.

The Congregation then evaluates the candidates and conducts its own investigation of them.

The Congregation has the option of forwarding the three candidates’ files to the Holy Father with the same priority as the apostolic nuncio, or they may change the priority, or they may even replace one or more names.

Usually every week, the prefect for the Congregation of Bishops meets with the Holy Father (typically on Saturday mornings) to present the Congregation’s recommendations.

The Pope then decides to accept their first recommendation or one of the other priests on the terna, or he may reject them all and start the whole process over again, or he may simply appoint someone he knows not on the terna.

Once the Pope has made his decision, it is communicated back to the apostolic nuncio, who quickly contacts the candidate and informs him of the Pope’s decision.

The candidate is simply asked if he accepts the appointment. There is no report given on the diocese, no asking of questions about the diocese, no “kicking of the tires.”

The moment the candidate accepts the appointment, the Pope’s decision takes effect, but it is not communicated publicly until the Congregation for Bishops in Rome releases it.

Again, secrecy prevails during this time between acceptance and announcement (and what a burden that is for the priest appointed!).

If the candidate declines the Pope’s appointment, however, then the whole process starts all over again.

During the next couple of months, I will have a lot of research to do on my new diocese and many decisions to make, such as the design of my coat of arms (of which I know almost nothing about), my episcopal motto, and plans for the liturgy of episcopal ordination.

As I conclude my time as pastor, I will look for opportunities to express my appreciation to the people of the Church of the Magdalen parish — my last pastorate as a priest — who will always have a special place in my heart.

I ask my parishioners to remember me and my new diocese in prayer.

Gratias Agimus Domino! — Let us give thanks to the Lord!