By Barb Arland-Fye
The Catholic Messenger
Father Jacob “Jay” Livecchi was unaware that the priest he chose to vest him for his ordination to the priesthood June 22 in the Toledo Diocese would be ordained a bishop three months later for the Davenport Diocese.
He first learned of Bishop-elect Dennis Walsh’s episcopal appointment the day the Vatican announced it in Rome, June 25. Friends began texting Father Livecchi, asking him, “Isn’t that the guy who vested you? He’s going to be a bishop!” The Vatican wanted to make the announcement a week earlier, but the future bishop did not want his appointment to overshadow the ordinations of the diocese’s two new priests.
Father Livecchi recalled the mindboggling news during an Aug. 15 interview with The Catholic Messenger. Bishop-elect Walsh was Father Livecchi’s mentor during his pastoral year at the three parishes the future bishop led in northwestern Ohio — St. John the Evangelist in Delphos, St. John the Baptist in Landeck and St. Patrick in Spencerville.
Father Livecchi described Bishop-elect Walsh as a “really good mentor” who provided his mentee with a balance of guidance and independence and conveyed a good sense of humor. When Father Livecchi asked permission to lead a family faith-formation event, his mentor consented, giving him full responsibility for managing it from start to finish. “It went very well, but there was learning involved,” Father Livecchi admitted.
Bishop-elect Dennis Walsh takes questions from diocesan staff June 25 after his introduction as the new bishop for the Diocese of Davenport.
Bishop-elect Walsh’s financial and administrative acumen were evident to Father Livecchi, who learned to read parish financial spreadsheets and gained insights about being a pastor of multiple parishes who also leads a Pre-K-12 school. Bishop-elect Walsh impressed on Father Livecchi the importance of having “long-term vision, to have a long-term goal in mind.”
His mentor’s humility also made an impression on Father Livecchi. “Nothing he ever did was showy,” the young priest said. Bishop-elect Walsh advised him to make time in his priesthood for private prayer and demonstrated that commitment by beginning his early morning with the Lord.
“Humility and obedience are two principle goals I learned from him,” Father Livecchi said of Bishop-elect Walsh, who persists in obedience to the Lord even in challenging times but also conveys his joy for the priesthood. “I picked Father Dennis (to vest me) because he embodied those virtues of a priest that I would want to embody in my own priesthood,” Father Livecchi said.
He is grateful for the year he spent with Bishop-elect Walsh, which provided him with insights for his current, temporary assignment serving Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Toledo. This fall, Father Livecchi will return to the Pontifical North American College in Rome to complete his degree in dogmatic theology.
Mixed feelings of sadness and gratitude over Bishop-elect Walsh’s appointment aside, Father Livecchi said, “He’s a great priest and a great friend. I’m also very happy for the Church. He’ll be a good bishop.”
They’ll stay in touch, added Father Livecchi, who quipped that he’ll be taking a vacation to Davenport!
More from the Catholic Messenger
