Message from the Metropolitan Archbishop

“The faithful of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and I are grateful for Bishop Pelotte’s many years of service as Bishop of Gallup and pray for his continued healing and to pray for Pope Benedict XVI as he prepares to appoint Bishop Pelotte’s successor.” Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan

Bishop Pelotte Takes Medical Retirement

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, April 30, 2008, the Holy See announced that His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI has granted Bishop Donald Pelotte’s request to retire as Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup.

As you may remember, Bishop Pelotte suffered severe injuries in a fall at his home in Gallup on July 23, 2007. Despite receiving medical treatment in Phoenix, Houston and Fort Lauderdale, he was unable to gain a full recovery. After an effort to resume his ministry, it became clear that further medical care and rehabilitation was needed. Therefore, in mid-December 2007 Bishop Pelotte requested a medical leave of absence to focus all his energies on achieving a full recovery. After several months of continued care, Bishop Pelotte decided to request retirement for reasons of health.

Pope John Paul II named Bishop Pelotte Coadjutor of Gallup in 1986; and he succeeded Bishop Hastrich upon his retirement in March of 1990. Until a successor is named, I shall continue to serve as Apostolic Administrator sede plena of the Diocese, a pastoral responsibility that I have been happy to fulfill since January 3 of this year.

Let us all continue to pray for Bishop Pelotte as he begins his retirement, with gratitude to God for all the many graces the Lord has bestowed on our Diocese through his episcopal ministry. Let us also pray for the Holy Father as he begins the process of choosing our next Bishop.

With prayers and full confidence in the Holy Spirit, I remain,

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

+Thomas J. Olmsted
Apostolic Administrator sede plena
Diocese of Gallup

From Father Matthew Keller, New Vocations Director

When one of my best friends was named to be the vocations director in his diocese, I began to write down every idea that I had which I thought might help promote vocations to the priesthood. I came up with 100 of them. I don’t know if the ideas themselves turned out to be very helpful or not, but this exercise sure helped me to begin thinking, praying and participating in the vocations effort (and examining my conscience!). It seems to me that our task has at least two major aspects. The first is a response to Jesus’ command to “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for the harvest.” (Mt. 9:38). Simply put, we have to pray. Here’s one of the prayers that the Church gives us in the Mass for priestly vocations. “Lord, accept our prayers and gifts. Give the Church more priests and keep them faithful in their love and service. Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord.” I believe that every Catholic can and should pray this prayer or something like it regularly out of a spirit of obedience to Christ and love for the Church. Perhaps you can ask your parish priest to offer a Mass for the intention of an increase in priestly vocations (idea #97).
The second aspect of the effort is to help the men who are being called to hear God’s voice, respond to it and persevere in it. This means helping to create an “atmosphere” where the priesthood is presented as a desirable possibility for young Catholic men by the parents at home, by teachers at CCD and in Catholic schools, and by priests at Mass.
I am hoping to hear from anyone who has ideas and suggestions that they think will help more men to hear the call to be worthy ministers for His altars, and gentle but ardent servants of the gospel. (cf. the Mass for priestly vocations).
Contact information: Fr. Matthew Keller P.O. box 1338 Gallup, NM 87305 (505) 863-4406 email- gallupvocationsoffice@gmail.com