| Sunlight poured in from the east and south windows on the bright March
day. A vase of Japanese iris and yellow jonquils at one corner of the cleared
desk caught the light. Someone said, “It won’t always look so
clear,” and another voice invited their new boss to sit down at his desk.
As camera flashes went off, Archbishop-Designate Marino sat down as a
noticeably excited Chancery staff watched Father Peter Ludden remarked that he
probably wouldn’t always be greeted with flashes when he came to work.
Someone brought him a cup of coffee – asked what he wanted in it – a
little sugar with the cream.
Another spring bouquet on a table caught his eye – a gift from Rhonwyn
Rogers, head of the Office for Black Catholics who was unable to be part of the
historic day because of illness. Bishop Marino remembered meeting Mrs. Rogers
when he visited Atlanta in January.
Glancing up at the admiring and expectant faces he ventured:
“You’ll have to be patient with me.” Sally Grubbs, his new
secretary, responded, “You’ll have to be patient with us.”
As the future archbishop entered the third floor chapel, Father Ludden
explained that the Blessed Sacrament was not kept there. Bishop Marino silently
walked up and knelt down on the floor directly in front of the altar and
remained there for several minutes, head bowed in prayer.
In the education offices he was again greeted with much warmth. To each
“welcome to Atlanta” he responded with equally warm gratitude. In an
exchange with Sister Roberta Schmidt, C.S.J., secretary for education, he
shared that he had a niece who would make her profession as a Sister of St.
Joseph of Carondelet in their Minneapolis province March 19.
In the offices of Catholic Social Services, as news spread that “Bishop
Marino is here,” staff gathered at a central spot. Only young Will
Buckmaster, baby son of Pam Buckmaster, was not too eager to shake hands. At
one point in the animated conversations, picture-taking, and introductions with
excited staff, the archbishop-designate remarked that on May 5 he would be
installed and on May 29 he would be 54 and that would leave him 21 years and a
few weeks to serve in the archdiocese.
On the first floor of the Catholic Center several people who were waiting
for legalization office appointments greeted him; they knew he was the newly
appointed archbishop. One man, a Puerto Rican, made a point of telling Bishop
Marino exactly where he came from. The man knew the bishop’s father, a
native of Puerto Rico, had come from a place close to his village.
By Paula Day
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