By a good Bishop, Santa Fe’s Archbishop Michael Sheehan…
David Gibson has the story at Pontifications
The pro-choice Democratic–and Catholic–New Mexico governor is going to Rome next week with his archbishop, Michael Sheehan, to a special lighting ceremony at the Colosseum in honor of the state’s decision to repeal the death penatly. The effort was a long slog, and one the Catholic bishops helped push it over the top.
According to this story, Richardson and the delegation will also be part of the general audience with Pope Benedict XVI. No mention of an honorary degree, however.
Archbishop Sheehan was the episcopal moderator for the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association and was always generous with his time and relished a good argument. He’d always listen charitably to people–on both sides even when they disagreed with him and was always faithful to the teachings of the church.
A parishioner once asked him: “Are you a liberal bishop or a conservative bishop?”
His response was brilliant: “A bird needs a right wing and a left wing in order to fly!”
Which I hope one day means he’ll have both wings of a Cardinal at some point.