By Michael Motes

(Editor's Note: This concludes our series on "The Bishops From Georgia." On April 27, we will have detailed coverage of the consecration of Bishop Eusebius Joseph Beltran.)

We were told on Monday, our publication's iron-clad, absolute, final and positive deadline, that there "might" be something that would have to go on the front page of that week's issue, but that it would not be announced until the next morning.

Now the only time that our "iron-clad, absolute, final and positive deadline" can be altered is when word comes from Archbishop Donnellan, who, among other important duties, is the publisher of The Georgia Bulletin, that something must be included in the current issue, deadline passed or not.

The news came first thing Tuesday morning, February 28, 1978, and it was big news! Atlanta's Vicar General, Monsignor Eusebius Joseph Beltran, had been named second Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

For the first time in many years, the cry of "Stop the presses!" was telephoned to our office of publication in Waynesboro, Georgia. The frantic scramble began to collect as much information on the bishop-elect as possible in the shortest amount of time.

The news was relayed to other media and the Bulletin office became a clearing house of press releases for the local television stations and daily newspapers.

Because of his numerous activities in the archdiocese, Monsignor Zeb's biographical file was relatively detailed. The most urgent problem to be met was to find a photographer who could provide us with prints within three hours. Atlanta's ace portrait master Van Buren Colley came to our rescue and we had nice photographs of the bishop-elect being congratulated by Archbishop Donnellan by early afternoon.

Stories written, photos in hand, we felt set, at last, to give our readers full coverage of the big event. A dash to the Greyhound bus station (all of our material is bussed to the office of publication), ended in a sigh of relief that it was over and we would still reach the presses on time.

But "the luck of the Irish" was not with Father Burtenshaw's paper that week. The bus station managed to incorrectly route our precious Beltran data and we finally discovered that it was somewhere in South Carolina!

Many, many hours later, the story was in the hands of the typesetter and somehow, known only to God, we did manage to bring our readers the news of the appointment on our regular delivery day.

On April 20, Monsignor Beltran, the fifth representative from Georgia, will become a bishop. The ceremony is set for 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Tulsa.

As one of the nation's youngest bishops, the former pastor of Saint Anthony's in West-End Atlanta will receive the miter from Archbishop Charles A. Salatka of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, who will be the principal ordaining prelate.

Commenting on his appointment at the age of 43, the bishop-designate said, "It seems to be true that in recent years more men in their early forties have been named bishops. I guess it goes along with the idea of renewal and reform. They feel younger men have more energy and time to work out their mission and ministry."

Assisting Archbishop Salatka at the consecration will be Archbishop Donnellan and Bishop Andrew McDonald of Little Rock, another of the "Georgia" bishops. Archbishop Jean Jadot, Apostolic Delegate in the United States, and Bishop Bernard J. Ganter of Beaumont, Texas, whom Bishop Beltran will succeed, will also take part in the ceremony.

Bishop Ganter has said of his successor, "The Diocese of Tulsa is fortunate in receiving as its new bishop Eusebius Beltran of Atlanta, for he is an exceptionally qualified pastor who is dedicated to serving all of God's people.

"Bishop Beltran is fortunate to be named chief pastor of the Diocese of Tulsa, for he will lead a people of unique faith and talent -- priests, religious, and laity ready and willing to help him do the Lord's work."

Since we've dealt in detail with Monsignor Beltran's illustrious background and career, we offer the striking color portrait of him by Van Buren Colley as a tribute.

For 25 years, Georgia has been home to a future member of the episcopacy. Who will be the sixth "Bishop From Georgia?"