Yesterday Sean at Nota Bene sought to know about Archbishop Rembert. I've been thinking about that, about our poor dear gentle bishop now retired, but I've been having trouble, because everything keeps sounding like a premature epitaph. But I can try.

I can reminisce a little over when Dom Rembert came to us as his first non-monastic pastoral assignment, and his long and rough adjustment to his new life, and our adjustment to him.

The way that Bishop Rembert always respected us, even when he could not agree (even when he had to rebuke!)

He always taught that our place was to know and love and serve God --- and to demonstrate that by loving and serving others. We were to pray constantly, and that starts with regular prayer every day no matter what, and daily examination of conscience.

He stressed the importance of regular Reconciliation, of frequent Communion, and the use of the other sacraments whenever appropriate; after all, Jesus gave us the Sacraments for good reason. He taught how to build up the virtues and control the passions, and he did not hesitate to use himself as his own teaching example.

He steadfastly defended us his people and also the rights of diocesan ordinaries against the church politicians when there were church politics power games going on. He held that there was only The Church, not the stuck-full-of-adjectives church. He rebuked the Wanderer Forum when they came to town to make political hash of the Faith; when the Call to Action people thought he'd like them because he had rebuked the Wanderer Forum, he gave them what-fer also.

From our diocese went Bishop Brusciewicz (sp?) to Lincoln and Bishop Joseph Perry to Chicago.

He put in his resignation on his birthday in Easter Week, and looked forward to a quiet retirement: but it seems somebody else had something else in mind. Lord grant him strength and wisdom. I am pretty sure I could not endure what he now must.