By Rita McInerney

Wisdom gained from experience, compassion, sensitivity to priests and people, leadership abilities, are some of the qualities that priests believe Archbishop Eugene A. Marino brings to his new responsibility as shepherd to Catholics in north Georgia.

These are some of the views expressed by several priests of the archdiocese of Atlanta when asked about their hopes for the new archbishop and the needs of the archdiocese.

“In his homily for the King celebration he called for the Church to be church,” Father John Adamski said in an interview May 4.

Father Adamski, pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Atlanta, was host to then Bishop Marino in January when he came to Atlanta to celebrate the Mass Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He found him to be a “very kind, gracious gentleman in the truest and best sense of the word.”

“In his homily for the King celebration he called for the Church to be church. He said we are responsible for the dream. I was impressed with that challenge. He will call us to be what we should be.”

Among strengths he brings to his new archdiocese, Father Adamski said, are his compassion and sensitivity to people and his involvement on the national level of Church affairs, “his sense of the Church in the U.S. and the needs of the Church in the U.S.” Another plus the Shrine pastor mentioned was Archbishop Marino’s leadership within the black Catholic community.

Father Thomas J. Carroll, M.S., pastor of St. Ann in Marietta and dean of the northwest metro deanery, is pleased by Archbishop Marino’s gift “for taking a personal interest in each and every person he meets.”

“He’s well aware of the needs of the people of the Church, and brings an expertise with him,” Father Carroll went on to say. “He’s aware of the tremendous growth in the archdiocese, is concerned about education and will encourage continuing education for the clergy.”

The needs Father Carroll sees include the fostering of vocations, and for more parishes and more personnel.

Father Henry Gracz, pastor of Transfiguration Church in Marietta, described himself as “literally thrilled. What struck my heart most was the National Catholic Reporter editorial in which the first archbishop of Atlanta, Paul J. Hallinan, was described as shedding “tears of joy” over Archbishop Marino’s appointment.”

“When Archbishop Hallinan ordained me, in the midst of my nervousness, there was a wonderful twinkle of joy and reassurance. I get the same impression of Archbishop Marino.”

“His challenge will be to touch not only the north suburbs but to especially reach out to the metro south area which has been neglected in terms of resources,” Father Gracz said.

He sees the archbishop’s cultural diversity as a special strength, and likened it to the diversity in Atlanta and north Georgia. “We have unity in diversity and diversity in unity. I think the new archbishop will recognize and develop that,” he said.

Never, in his 23 years of ministry, Father Gracz added, has he “heard such consistently good news” as the reports he has heard about the new archbishop.

Father William Hoffman, pastor of St. Jude Church in Sandy Springs, said he met Archbishop Marino for the first time the day his appointment was announced, March 15. The Sandy Springs pastor said he was across the table from him at a lunch that followed the press conference and Mass at the cathedral.

“I found him to be a very soft-spoken and gentle man. When speaking to someone he gives the person the feeling that he has his full attention.”

“We need momentum now,” Father Hoffman said. And the archbishop’s varied experiences in Washington, “the wisdom gained from this experience, will be a big benefit to us.”

Father Hoffman recounted Archbishop Marino’s account of his selection as he told it at the March 15^th luncheon. First, there was a telephone call from Archbishop Pio Laghi, the apostolic pro-nuncio, who told him “I want to see you.”

When he arrived at the pro-nuncio’s office, he was told by the pope’s representative that “The Holy Father has decided that you are to go to Atlanta.”

“He didn’t ask me but I said if that is what the Holy Father wants me to do, I will.” Archbishop Marino told Father Hoffman. Then he went on to say that Archbishop Pio Laghi had his acceptance document all ready to be signed. Once the paper was signed, the pro-nuncio took up the telephone and called Monsignor John McDonough. “I want to introduce you to your new archbishop,” he told the diocesan administrator, before handing the phone to the Washington auxiliary bishop.

“What’s striking for young priests was his homily at the canonical installation,” Father Al Jowdy said May 6. “He intends to be a friend as well as pastor. It speaks of hope.”

Like a family that adopts a child, the parochial vicar at All Saints in Dunwoody believes there is “acceptance unconditionally (both by the archbishop and by his people.)

One of the first needs he would like to see approached by the archbishop would be “to develop a sense of fraternity among the priests, and the priests with the bishop. This would go a long way toward addressing the vocation problem.”

Father Jowdy said he “sensed a great excitement in the whole archdiocese.” As one of the masters of ceremony for the Installation Mass, he was “touched by the number of bishops who told him, as he helped them vest, that ‘You are getting the best.’”

When he spoke with the Georgia Bulletin, Father Patrick McCormick, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Hartwell, had not yet met his new bishop. Yet he commented that “he is obviously very pastoral and personable as far as I can tell from what I’ve read.”

Father McCormick sees him as a “holy man committed to his people” and feels that the need in the archdiocese will be “mainly to continue on the work of reforms from Vatican II. I’m sure he will be greatly committed to this.”

“He brings us the marvelous strength of his experience as bishop in Washington for 14 years. “He has had jobs as demanding, and even more demanding, than being archbishop of Atlanta.” There can be “no big new challenge,” he concluded.

Although he had not yet met Archbishop Marino, Father John P. Walsh, administrator of St. Pius X parish in Conyers, liked “the idea of his wanting to get around, to be with the priests,” and the prospect of collaboration between archbishop and clergy.

Father Walsh saw the archbishop’s enthusiasm, experience and rich background as being helpful as the archdiocese enters a new phase in its history.

His concern for the poor is endorsed by Father Walsh who also expects the new archbishop to stress the lay ministry and a strong diaconate program.

Prayer and renewal and deep spirituality, priorities in the archbishop’s own life will be important to priests and the people. “I think he will be a model for us,” Father Walsh remarked.

“There is so much excitement, a great sense of hope in the diocese,” according to Father Richard Wise, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul in Decatur. “To see the will of God take flesh is an amazing thing.”

He mentioned the letter of Paul to the Galatians in which he speaks of the gifts of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control), “All of these attributes of the Holy Spirit are found in the bishop.”

He believes the Church of Atlanta “is going to be more reflective of the city it dwells in, and will experience the Catholicity of the Church.”