THE CATHOLIC POST
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thecatholicpost.com
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2022 A REFLECTION BY
Coadjutor Bishop Louis Tylka
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s Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, prepares to retire, it is important for us to acknowl- edge his service to the Church. As he is often quoted as saying, When I was at Notre Dame . . ., his own looking back is filled with so many fond memories. Of course,asheretiresfromtheiceofBishopintheDioceseofPeoria,wecanalllook back and say, When Bishop Jenky was our bishop . . ., filling in the blank with our own experiences of his ministry. For me, as his successor, I am grateful for the leadership Bishop Jenky provided our local Church and for the support and en- couragement he has offered in this time of transition. Coming into the diocese back in 2002 was not an easy time to enter a diocese as it was the height of the abuse scandal and the beginning of implementing the policies of the Dallas Charter. He was immediately con- fronted with tough decisions. Persevering, he would go on to enjoy a fruitful tenure serving our local Church. Perhaps some of his more significant tangible achievements, which will bear fruit for many years to come, are in his efforts of build- ing the Spalding Pastoral Center, restoring the beauty within the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, and the construction of the Sacr-Coeur Retreat Center. While these physical structures will serve us well for many years to come, it is the mission which they house - the work of the Lord - which is what inspired him to un- dertake them. And in the end, what we will all most remember is not brick mortar, but Bishop Jenkys love and humor, his wisdom and knowledge, and his faith that touched so many peoples lives. His episcopal motto, His Will is Our Peace, has been the hallmark of his life. Doing Gods will has been a blessing to Bishop Jenky and to us! As he retires, I hope he truly inds peace in knowing that the Lord says, Well done, my good and faithful servant! And we agree! Bishop Jenky and Coadjutor Bishop Tylka are pictured together in the summer of 2021.
Bishop Jenky's faith has touched so many lives
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elcome to a very special edition of The Catholic Post. Our regular news and commentary offerings begin on page 43. But first, we are honored to pres- ent a retrospective on the nearly two decades of leadership in this diocese of Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, who was appointed as the eighth Bishop of Peoria on Feb. 12, 2002, by Pope John Paul II. As our back cover indicates, Bishop Jenky has not only been our bishop for those 20 years, he has been our top newsmaker and the publisher of your diocesan newspaper. Assembling this special edition, which is published just a few weeks before his 75th birthday and anticipated retirement, has been a labor of love and gratitude for The Catholic Post staff. Bishop Jenky has long loved the study of history. Our hope is that these pages are an adequate - if far from complete - reflection of his tenure as our shepherd. We apolo- gize in advance for any errors or omissions. We thank the many parishes, businesses, schools, and other institutions whose advertising messages made the printing and mailing of this keepsake special edi- tion possible. We hope you enjoy it. And should you wish to send a note of gratitude or well-wishes to Bishop Jenky, here is his address: 607 N.E. Madison Ave., Peoria, IL 61603. Photo credits for the Bishop Jenky tribute pages in this special issue include Nellie Gould (cover), Jennifer Willems, Tom Dermody, Daryl Wilson, Msgr. Philip Halfacre, and Patrick Murphy-Racey.
From The Catholic Post staff
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