A letter to the new Ordinary-to-be out in this morning's mail

25 June 2002

Archbishop-elect Timothy Dolan
3501 South Lake Drive
Milwaukee WI 53235

My father, welcome!

Thank you for coming to us. We have been blessed beyond our deserving for the past 25 years, have been tossed into mourning, and have come to have very high, probably too high, expectations for our bishops. Please be patient with us and do not judge us in haste.

I renew my commitment to keep you, our bishop, our city and our diocese in constant prayer. May the Lord's help keep me faithful.

Please, as a special favor to your new people, do not send Archbishop Rembert away, or do anything that would expose him to further public shame. He has been a faithful and diligent and devoted spiritual father for us, as you will be; and we have come to love him, and he us, as we will come to love you, if you allow it. Care for him with the same care with which you will care for all of us, please.

Again, welcome to your new Milwaukee flock.

With obedient submission,
Karen Marie Knapp
.