The Archdiocese of San Francisco moved to fill the leadership vacuum in the Santa Rosa Diocese on Friday as parish priests prepared for the first weekend of worship since Bishop G. Patrick Ziemann resigned and confessed to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a priest. Archbishop William Levada dispatched his communications director Maurice Healy to set up an office in Santa Rosa to help administer the diocese until Pope John Paul II names a new bishop, possibly within six months. Healy said Friday. The emotional shock is now.
People are stunned, looking for ground.
Healy met with leaders and staff of the diocese who were suddenly left without a leader when Rome announced it had accepted Ziemann's resignation on Wednesday. He said he expects the archbishop to visit the diocese soon after he returns from vacation, but was not sure when. Meanwhile, diocesean priests who provide the front-line pastoral duties to the North Coast's 140,000 Catholics prepared to meet their parishioners for the first time since the popular leader stepped down and admitted the sexual misconduct. Father Denis O'Sullivan, along with Father Gerry Gormley, will say Mass seven times today and Sunday at St. Rose Catholic Church next door to the bishop's Chancery office. On Friday, he fielded calls from parishioners seeking guidance even as he was preparing his thoughts for the weekend services.