Whatever Happened to ... Bishop Walter F. Sullivan?

(Hat tip: Catholic World News)

From The Virginia Pilot:

He retired in 2003 as the spiritual head of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, but Bishop Walter F. Sullivan hasn't put his clerical crook and miter in permanent storage. Sullivan, the diocese's leader for 29 years, still celebrates Mass at parishes on weekends, and at convents and Catholic retirement homes around the diocese, which includes South Hampton Roads.

"I'm not the boss anymore, I'm not the one in charge, but I haven't lost the ordination as a bishop," Sullivan said. "That is lifelong, and that empowers me to sacramental ministry.

"I haven't folded up my tent and disappeared."

Sullivan left office in September 2003 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 . He was succeeded by Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo , who was appointed by Pope John Paul II .

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Sullivan's views have not always been shared by DiLorenzo who, for example, rejected Sullivan's proposal to split the diocese in two. The plan would have created a diocese in eastern Virginia with Hampton Roads at its core.

Sullivan declined to assess his successor.

"He's the leader now, and I stay above the fray, you might say," Sullivan said. "I'm supportive of the bishop. He's the one who makes decisions, and I certainly don't want anyone to have the impression I'm around to undermine him."

My Comments:
As for "assessments", I'll just say that, although I disagreed with much of Bishop Sullivan's leadership of the Richmond Diocese, he is a very nice man who was kind to me personally and professionally when I was Mayor of Columbia, Virginia. I'll leave it at that.