Pittsburgh Gets New Auxiliary Bishop

Rev. William Walterseid, a 54 year old priest serving the Diocese of Harrisburg, has been appointed to the position of auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The decision was announced by Archbishop Pietro Sambi the apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop-elect Walterseid an Ashland PA native, originally worked in health care field graduating from the Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing in 1983. He was accepted into seminary in 1985 studying at St. John Seminary College in Brighton, Massachusetts and later the Pontifical North American College in Rome. After serving in the Harrisburg priesthood for several years Walterseid moved back to Rome to teach at the Pontifical North American College. He currently serves on the Presbyteral Council, the Priests' Personal Board, the Deacon's Council, the Sister's Council, and as Censor Librorum.

Rev. Walterseid will be ordained as a bishop on Easter Monday in Saint Paul Cathedral, Oakland. He will assist Bishop Zubik who continues to recover from back surgery.

Wuerl Chosen as Cardinal

The man who led the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese for 18 years has been selected by Pope Benedict XVI to join the College of Cardinals. Cardinal-designate Donald Wuerl will receive his red hat in an elevation ceremony Saturday November 20th and will receive his ring from the Pope in a Mass the following day. The 69-year old will continue to serve as the head of the Archdiocese of Washington. Bishop David Zubik of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese served with Wuerl in Pittsburgh back in the 1980’s and 90’s. He says he is “thrilled” by the announcement, but he was not surprised. “I think we could all see this honor was coming because Cardinal Designate Wuerl has been asked to do a number of things on behalf of the Pope even without the title of Cardinal,” says Zubik. Zubik says Wuerl will approach matters as a cardinal the same way he tackled tough issues as a bishop in Pittsburgh, very thoughtfully and methodically. “He will stand up for what is right,” says Zubik. Zubik also points to Wuerl’s ability to bring together people of all faiths as an asset that he will bring to the College of Cardinals.

Wuerl was born in Pittsburgh and was ordained to the priesthood on December 17, 1966. Pope John Paul II ordained him a bishop on January 6, 1986 in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome. He served as Auxiliary Bishop in Seattle until 1987 and then as Bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years until his appointment to the Archdiocese of Washington on June 22, 2006.

Zubik says this is the third time that a Pittsburgh native has been named cardinal (Adam Maida, Daniel DiNardo) and the 4th bishop to be elevated to the position (John Dearden, John Wright, Anthony Bevilacqua). The Pittsburgh Dioceses has had 12 Bishops in all.

Pittsburgh Diocese Sued After Suicide

The estate of a former Pittsburgh area man allegedly abused by a priest filed suit today in Allegheny County Court against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. The lawsuit says that 39 year old Michael Unglo committed suicide May 4 at a Massachusetts facility after the diocese stopped paying for his mental health treatments. Unglo, who grew up in Etna, attempted suicide two other times. Unglo was an altar boy and was allegedly sexually abused in the early 1980's by Richard Dorsch, a priest at All Saints Church in Etna. Dorsch was arrested in 1994 for molesting another boy. Dorsch was sentenced to jail and banned from the ministry.
Unglo attempted suicide in June 2008 and a month later the diocese began paying for his treatment. According to the estate, the diocese sent a final payment of $75,000 on March 17 and indicated there would be no further payments.
In a statement, the diocese said that it had not received notice of the lawsuit.
"Without any legal requirement to do so, the Diocese of Pittsburgh readily provided hundreds of thousands of dollars for counseling and residential treatment for Mr. Unglo in recent years and continued to do so up to the time of his tragic death. The Diocese of Pittsburgh denies any negligence in this matter and cannot accept that any action of the Diocese contributed to or was responsible for his death. The facts of the case will bear this out. Suicide is a complex tragedy that can deeply affect surviving loved ones. We continue to offer our sympathy, prayers and support to all touched by this tragedy."

16 Catholic Schools Close in 5 Years in Pittsburgh Area

Another school is closing in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. St. John Neumann Regional Elementary School in Lawrenceville will shut its doors for good at the end of this academic year. The closing of the school was approved by Bishop David Zubik on the recommendation of the pastors of Our Lady of the Angels, St. Lawrence O'Toole and St. Matthew parishes which support the school. The parishes cited serious fiscal challenges that make their ability to continue to support the school impossible. Enrollment has declined from 131 students to an estimated 92 for the next school year. A diocesan spokesman says they usually consider 100 to be the minimum number of students to keep a school open.
St. John Neumann will be the 16th elementary school that the diocese has closed since 2005.

Pittsburgh Catholic Bishop Hospitalized

The leader of the Pittsburgh Roman Catholic Diocese hopes to be out of the hospital later today and attend, if not celebrate, Easter mass.
Bishop David Zubik was taken to UPMC Mercy at 5 Friday morning with severe pain. A diocesan spokesman says the bishop was diagnosed with a kidney stone and underwent surgery to remove it. In a statement from his hospital bed, the bishop said he was "doing terrific."
Zubik is expected to be released from the hospital later today and possibly attend Easter Sunday mass tomorrow but he is not expected to officiate at the mass.