Bishop Thom Hennen sits in the cathedra (bishop’s cathedral chair) during his ordination and installation Mass Sept. 29 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Bend, Oregon.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
Faithful from throughout the Diocese of Davenport watched as one of its own priests, Father Thom Hennen, was ordained and installed Sept. 29 as bishop of the Diocese of Baker, Oregon, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Bend.
A contingent of diocesan staff, St. Ambrose University staff, parishioners and friends traveled to Oregon for the big event. Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport hosted a watch party in the diocesan hall while livestreaming the event. A group of Catholics on pilgrimage in Italy watched the livestream from a hotel conference room. And throughout the diocese, others watched the livestream on their phones or computers.
Oregon
Bishop Dennis Walsh said he has a great sense of pride “that a priest of our diocese was chosen to be bishop. We should all be very happy to be able to share such a fine priest, now bishop, with the larger Church. I am grateful for Bishop Hennen’s generous yes to serve.”
The Diocese of Baker “is such a huge geographic area. Bishop Hennen has his work cut out for him, as he goes out to meet his parishioners,” Bishop Walsh added.
“As I mentioned to Bishop Hennen, his ordination was much more enjoyable for me than my own. My ordination was just a blur. I was able to simply enjoy Bishop Hennen’s ordination. I was honored that Bishop Hennen had asked me to be one of the co-consecrators.”
Father Ken Kuntz, a retired priest of the diocese and former administrator for the diocese, has known Bishop Hennen “since he was a seminarian. We worked together when I was diocesan administrator. He was extremely helpful since he knew what he was doing and I didn’t. I always thought he would become a bishop, but I didn’t think it would happen this soon — and certainly not in Oregon,” Father Kuntz said.
“I went to the ordination as a sign of support. The ordination was beautiful and oftentimes emotional. It was moving when he sat down on the bishop’s chair and everyone clapped enthusiastically for an extended period of time. The people in Baker are very excited to have him as their bishop.”
The Cox family from Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport traveled to Oregon with their three children having a role in the ordination Mass.
Megan Cox and her husband Matt met Bishop Hennen when they all were students at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. “He’s like a member of our family, and our youngest daughter’s godfather. Once his appointment was announced, he asked if we would bring the kids with us to the ordination. Of course we obliged. What a great opportunity to support our friend while our family witnessed a remarkable liturgy.”
The Cox’s three children, Will, 15; Nora, 12; and Eliza, 8; brought up the gifts during the offertory at the ordination Mass. Will was “honored that I was able to help at his important Mass. I felt so happy for Bishop Hennen.”
Another highlight of the Mass was watching Bishop Hennen speak after Communion, Megan said. “He was (as he always is) humble, knowledgeable and engaging. It was an honor to watch his ordination and to see the people of the Diocese of Baker warmly welcome him.”
Patti McTaggart, liturgy, music and children’s sacramental prep coordinator at St. Mary Parish in Iowa City, has known Bishop Hennen for more than 20 years. “I was fortunate enough to make three trips to Rome during that time and on one of the trips, I went to an early morning Mass at a small church in the heart of the city. The presiding priest was speaking in English and did an excellent job. My cousin, Father Will, said to me, ‘That’s Father Thom Hennen from your diocese — and he’s a great one!’ I met with then-Father Thom after Mass that morning and we have been friends ever since.”
McTaggart said “It was never an option not to go to his installation. I would have moved mountains to be there.” She felt the “boundless solemn beauty of our Catholic liturgy is always a highlight and Bishop Thom’s pastoral joy, smile and brief words of wisdom (during the ordination) were a triple bonus.”
The Book of the Gospels is held over Bishop-elect Thom Hennen’s head (kneeling) during his ordination and installation as bishop of the Diocese of Baker, Oregon. Also pictured is Archbishop Kevin Sample of Portland, Oregon, and Bishop Dennis Walsh, far right.
Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, director of campus ministry at St. Ambrose University, first met Bishop Hennen when he was the vocations director for the diocese. “I was the director of faith formation at Sacred Heart Parish in Newton. He came to celebrate Mass with the youth at our confirmation retreat and talked to them about vocations. The youth loved him and he jumped right in with all of our ice breakers and games. In 2017 he was appointed the chaplain and director of campus ministry at St. Ambrose. We worked together daily in campus ministry to provide spiritual growth opportunities to our students.”
“I went to Bishop Hennen’s ordination because I wanted to show him my love and my prayerful support. He has been such a gift to me personally, to the St. Ambrose family and to the Diocese of Davenport. I know he will be an amazing shepherd to the people of the Diocese of Baker.”
Donna DeJoode came out from New York state for the ordination. The former director of Christian formation and youth ministry at St. Mary Parish in Oskaloosa and volunteer at St. Mary Parish in Pella, she is now at St. Katherine Drexel Parish in the Diocese of Rochester, New York.
“Bishop Hennen was my spiritual director for a time. In addition, we coordinated the March for Life pilgrimages to Washington, D.C. for several years with Father Jeff Belger. While then Father-Hennen was vocations director, he would join in several youth activities that were held, including our annual canoeing and bonfire night with Oskaloosa, the diocesan Catholics In Action and other rallies.”
“I went to support a phenomenal role model — and to tell him in person, ‘I told you so’ as we had this conversation driving back from the Boundary Waters two years ago,” DeJoode said.
“The Diocese of Baker is truly blessed to receive a devoted, humble, beloved son of God. Bishop’s closing remarks as an introduction to who he is was phenomenal! I wanted to stand and cheer.”
Watch party in Davenport
Following the announcement that Sacred Heart Cathedral’s then-pastor Father Hennen was named a bishop, Laurie Bribriesco knew there would be limited tickets for people to attend his Oregon ordination and installation. “We all just wanted to celebrate with him,” said the events coordinator for the cathedral.
Cathedral staff provided most of the food for the watch party and attendees were asked to bring a dessert or a snack. About 40 people attended. “We had our technical issues before the ordination started,” she laughed. “We actually connected with our IT experts in Italy to get everything up and running. While the broadcast was not perfect, it was very moving and comforting to be there,” Bribriesco said.
Bishop Thom Hennen smiles after his ordination and installation as bishop of the Diocese of Baker, Oregon, Sept. 29.
Watch party in Italy
Bishop Hennen planned a pilgrimage trip to Italy and served as spiritual advisor months prior to his announcement as bishop. After the announcement, with the trip being held at the same time as the ordination, Father Rich Adam stepped in to lead the group.
The pilgrims were at their hotel in Ravenna, Italy when the ordination began, said Susan Stanforth, faith formation director at the cathedral. It was 11 p.m.
“We knew we had a long bus ride come the next afternoon to Rome so many of us tried staying up for at least part of the ordination. Some made it the whole time. Others chose to watch it in their rooms on their phones. The hotel gave us a conference room to use. We had an Italian desert, drink and popcorn. Our Italian tour guide even came down to watch,” she said. “It was very moving.”
“I was so happy to be able to participate in the ordination from Italy! What a blessing,” said cathedral member Rachel Huber.
Parishioner Patty Riefe said, “It was a very special and spiritual moment in time for us. As we watched Bishop-elect Thom being ordained, we felt so grateful and blessed that he had been our shepherd at Sacred Heart Cathedral, before being chosen as bishop of the Diocese of Baker Oregon.”
Colleen Goebel of the cathedral had mixed emotions watching the ordination. “To see him process to the altar as God’s humble servant presenting himself to take the next step was the time to realize he was now theirs and no longer ours. Then seeing the gold miter placed upon his head, it sunk in that he was now truly a successor to Peter in the apostolic line of succession from the beginning of the Church.”
