By Rita McInerney

His appointment as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese of Atlanta precipitated a "radical change" in the priestly focus of Bishop James P. Lyke, OFM.

"I have never in my life been more absorbed in the internal affairs of the church as I have since I came to Atlanta," he said in an interview as the Vatican announced he would be the fourth archbishop of Atlanta.

A priest who had been an activist, who was motivated by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to ask for a parish in Memphis in 1968 was now completely immersed in the needs of the Church of North Georgia, making virtually no civic appearances, but visiting every parish, mission and Catholic institution by Christmas 1990.

His arrival in Atlanta lacked the jubilation which usually surrounds the move of a bishop to a new city, rather it was in an atmosphere of frustration and loss he began his appointment.

One of Bishop Lyke's first actions was to name a four-member commission of prominent Catholics to investigate whether archdiocesan or parish funds were paid to Victoria Long, linked to both Archbishop Eugene A. Marino, SSJ, and Father Michael Woods, pastor at St. Jude's in Sandy Springs.

Although a difficult decision to make, it was intended to answer allegations that such funds had been used for Ms. Long's personal expenses. Just before Christmas the findings of the commission were disclosed and the audit by Coopers and Lybrand, independent certified public accountants, showed that archdiocesan funds had not been misused while Archbishop Marino headed the diocese.

The audit verified, as had been earlier announced, the expenditure of slightly less than $15,000 in medical bills paid by the archdiocese to doctors or institutions for her in the summer of 1990.

"The audit clearly shows that the archbishop did not use the funds of the archdiocese of Atlanta to assist Vicki Long," Bishop Lyke said in an interview. The audit covered only archdiocesan funds and did not in any way review personal accounts of Archbishop Marino.

Bishop Lyke found priests and people welcoming in his visits to all the far corners of the sprawling archdiocese. There he was able to see the sacrifices the priests, deacons, sisters and laity were making to sustain their faith and minister to the poor and needy around them, in both city and rural settings.

It was in these visits outside Atlanta that he began to see the tremendous growth in the Catholic population and the crying need for new facilities or ministries to accommodate this surge.

The swift pace of his first six months in Atlanta came to an abrupt halt in early January when surgery for the removal of the right kidney became necessary. The operation went well and he found, in the enforced idleness of recuperation, time for a "school for spirituality."

He spoke of this in a letter of appreciation to the people of the archdiocese published in The Georgia Bulletin. He was grateful for the prayers and concerns expressed by many people. In the letter he shared his struggle in conscience over the Gulf War based on St. Augustine's just war theories and his own Franciscan tradition.

While he endured recuperation, a draft statement on vision and mission that he had publicized in late summer was being scrutinized. Parishes had been asked to respond to the draft statement. It was also reviewed by Catholic Center department heads. Directors of agencies, boards and commissions of the archdiocese were invited to comment.

This statement, composed in the meter of poets rather than columnists and journalists, spoke of the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it links the faithful in North Georgia to the universal Church, the Bishop of Rome and bishops around the world. It exhorted the people of God here to be "doers of the Word" in their caring and love for the hungry, the sick and weak, the lonely and uneducated, and the spiritually malnourished.

Each archdiocesan department responded with a brief statement defining its own goals in terms of this vision and mission.

Bishop Lyke welcomed more than 700 people seeking Church membership Feb. 16 at the 11th annual Rite of Election. For the first time the rite was held at the Atlanta Civic Center to accommodate the large numbers of clergy, friends and family who could not be accommodated when the annual ritual was held in two Sunday sessions at the Cathedral of Christ the King. Almost 2,500 persons attended.

One hundred and seventy catechumens (unbaptized persons) and 531 candidates (previously baptized) were presented to the bishop during the three-and-a-half hour celebration.

Music for the worship was by the 160-voice archdiocesan choir, a four-member group from St. Bernadette's (Cedartown) Hispanic ministry, members of Our Lady of Vietnam Mission in Forest Park, and the African-American choir from St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta. The diversity of music emphasized the cultural richness of the Church in Atlanta.

A new structure to advise and assist the bishop was created in March. This was an Archdiocesan Planning and Development Council (ADPC) with 14 members and three major committees: Planning, Development, and Finance.

Memberships include lay people, clergy and religious representing a broad cross-section of the archdiocese and include its diverse geography, racial and ethnic composition.

Agreeing to serve are people with expertise in financing, planning, development, management, banking, building, real estate and other fields. They will serve three-year terms with chairs and vice chairs serving one year. The council replaces pre-existing committees and councils that served the archdiocese under previous bishops.

Bishop Lyke chose Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi to issue his first pastoral letter to the archdiocese. In Precious Lord, Precious Life, a meditation on the dignity of the pre-born child, he spoke, again in free verse, of the mystery of human life redeemed by the death and resurrection of the Son of God, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which graces the development of each human life.

He spoke eloquently of New Life and the debate which dwells on "technical points of science" and misses the "real cause for joy. A growing child in the mother's womb."

The pastoral letter was printed in English and Spanish as a special section of The Georgia Bulletin. Its publication was also designed to mark Respect Life month.

The archbishop-designate's dedication to the well being and continuing formation of archdiocesan priests was quickly evident. At the same time as he named a vicar for clergy he also announced the appointment of two associate vicars citing "heavy and time-consuming" responsibilities of the post.

After consulting with priests and the Personnel Board, he selected Father Henry Gracz, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Atlanta, as vicar for clergy. Named as associate vicars were Father Richard B. Morrow, pastor of Prince of Peace in Buford, and Father William M. Hickey, parochial vicar at Corpus Christi, Stone Mountain.

This marked the first time in the history of the diocese that three priests were especially appointed to minister to their brother priests.

Other indications of this priority came with the granting of permission to seminarian Franklin Forts to pursue a licentiate in sacred theology after his ordination scheduled for Saturday, June 1 in the Cathedral of Christ the King. Father James Schillinger will later this year begin two years of study leading to the same degree.

Archbishop-Designate Lyke recently reached agreement with two religious orders of men to assist in ministry to the North Georgia Church. Over the next several months the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette (MS) and the Orders of Friars Minor, Conventual (OFM, Conv.) will expand their local presence by assuming pastoral care of two parishes and two missions.

After naming Father Daniel O'Connor administrator of St. Jude's parish in Sandy Springs, he selected Sister Valentina Sheridan, a Religious Sister of Mercy for 41 years, as the first woman to be officially appointed administrator of a parish in the archdiocese.