This morning William Cardinal Keeler, retired Cardinal Archbishop of Baltimore, issued the following statement regarding the death of Archbishop William D. Borders.

Archbishop William Donald Borders was a good and gentle person whom I got to know very well over Saturday evening dinners following my installation as Archbishop of Baltimore. We would discuss all of the matters that were before us and I would share my viewpoint on activities in the Archdiocese. I was particularly grateful for his insights regarding the priests and people of the Archdiocese. When I told him recently that I had left the Archdiocese after the installation of my successor, he told me that he had done the same thing as a courtesy to me. I recalled that he made a long trip to the Midwest, probably to his relatives in Indiana, at the time that I had become the Archbishop here. These simple gestures indicate the kind of person Archbishop Borders was.

Early this afternoon, Bishop Thomas Wenski, fourth Bishop of Orlando, issued the following message regarding Archbishop Borders and his legacy to the Diocese of Orlando.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Archbishop William D. Borders, first bishop of Orlando and 13th Archbishop of Baltimore, who died this morning (04/19) at 10:03. He was 96 years old. His legacy to the Diocese of Orlando will never be forgotten. As our first leader, charting new territory and responding with courage and vision to God’s call, we are grateful for his many dedicated years of service in the Lord’s name.

This afternoon, as I was putting off writing a homily for my Catechism class, I was visiting the Catholic blogs that I read everyday when I came upon this bit of interesting news regarding the next Archbishop of Miami. Thomas Peters, the American Papist, writes on CatholicVote Action the following regarding the next major appointment to come stateside: (emphasis and comments mine)

The chatter is starting to heat up in South Florida that Archbishop John Favalora, due to retire this December, may have a coadjutor appointed to his Archdiocese of Miami before then.

I am even hearing some sources (like our own Josh Mercer) speculate that Miami, as the unofficial “Capital of Latin America” [TRUE] and the seat of the Metropolitan of Florida, may be next in line for a Red Hat. [That means a Cardinal folks!!]

The name I most commonly hear for this episcopal role is Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando. He was ordained as a priest in Miami, is active in immigration issues, and has excellent Spanish-language skills as well.

If this all comes to fruition, it will be sad to see Bishop Wenski leave the Diocese of Orlando. However, because of his ability to speak Spanish and Creole, his role on speaking out for immigration reform, and the close relationship he has with the people of Haiti, our Bishop would be one of the top choices to be appointed to be Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Miami. Please pray for Bishop Wenski over the next few weeks–he will need them more than usual.

I would like to personally thank Bishop Wenski for accepting me as a seminarian for the Diocese of Orlando. I am so grateful for being given the opportunity to take this journey, which has allowed me to grow in love for Christ and His church. More than ever, stay tuned!

SOURCE: CatholicVote Action | Thomas Peters

PHOTO: Getty Images

This week, Bishop Thomas Wenski, Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando, has been visiting Haiti on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to assess the recovery efforts that are currently underway in the earthquake stricken country. Throughout his visit, Bishop Wenski has been writing brief reflections about the progress that is being made as a result of the efforts of the Catholic Church. Below are the reflections as they appeared on the Diocese of Orlando website.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Thursday after Mass in Leogann where once a parish church stood we traveled across the mountains to Jacmel on Haiti’s Southeast coast. The city is known for its art and was a popular tourist destination for Haitians from Port-au-Prince.

The city’s cathedral was built in the 1840′s and part of the cultural patrimony of the nation did not collapse. However it sustained sufficient damage to render it unusable.

Other parishes in the Jacmel area were completely demolished. At the school run by Christian brothers since the 1880′s makeshift classrooms set up in the school courtyard now serve four different schools through a multiple shift schedule.

A very good morning to all of you! The Triduum arrives tonight with the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper where we will witness the institution of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.

As we have seen over recent days and weeks, the priesthood is taking a beating by the media as a result of the news of the sexual abuse scandals. As you go about your day, please remember those priests who have touched your life. Thank the Lord for their “yes” to serving His people. If you have the chance, thank those priests personally and let them know how much they have touched your life. Because of recent weeks, that thank you could mean something so much more than usual.

Also, please remember to pray for all the bishops of the Catholic Church who have been given the task of shepherding  the Church through these difficult days. In a special way, pray for Pope Benedict who needs more prayers than usual these days.

The weekend is upon us…and a weekend of work it will be for me. This weekend is the last here on campus before all of the seminarians depart for their home dioceses to celebrate Holy Week.

The seminarians from the Diocese of Orlando will be serving at the Chrism Mass on Wednesday, March 31. As usual, the Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Bishop Wenski has invited all of the faithful from the Diocese of Orlando to attend. It is always a beautiful experience to witness the priests renew their vows and their commitment to serving the people of God.

After the Chrism Mass, we will all be switching gears for the celebration of the Easter Triduum. Over the last several days, I have been reminded of the few remaining days of Lent; and, well, “[our] redemption is at hand.” (Luke 21:28) We only have a few days left to reexamine ourselves to see if we are truly living our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Thank goodness He is patient.

The seminarians all return to the seminary on April 5th, which leaves a mere four weeks in the academic year. Holy Week is the last occasion we have for a little bit of rest; every chance I get, I will be spending time simply relaxing and focusing on the immensity of the message of Easter.