This Sunday, I would like to share with you about Bishop Lawrence Brandt as he celebrates his golden jubilee of his priestly ordination and his 80th birthday today at the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg, where he was installed as the fourth Bishop of Greensburg on March 4th, 2004.
Bishop Brandt led the diocese for eleven years until he submitted himself to the mandatory retirement to Pope Francis when he reached 75 years of age. During his time as Bishop of Greensburg, he instituted many initiatives to incorporate further the needs and wants of the laity into the structure of the diocese and its parishes.
He established the Diocesan Lenten Appeal (DLA), a giving initiative that helps out a lot for the education of the seminarians and care for retired priests. It supports the work of Catholic Charities and evangelization and faith formation efforts. The DLA provides lay ministry formation and catechetical training, and also supports youth ministry and Catholic schools.
In 2009, the Capital Campaign, "Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow's Hope," was also launched. Despite taking place during the great recession, the campaign received overwhelming support, totaling $55 million in pledges and exceeding the original $45 million goal.
That same year, Bishop Brandt presented his Pastoral Letter called "The Transmission of Faith in the Present Culture," which included changing the age for confirmation to 8th grade and establishing a certification program for catechists.
In looking out for the poorer communities of the diocese, he also established the Diocesan Poverty Relief Fund in 2010. All money contributed to this fund goes directly to the aid of the poor and needy in the four counties of the diocese.
In 2009, he ordained the first two permanent deacons in the diocese and four more in 2015. In 2010, he invited the first two Filipino priests to serve in the diocese and the program for International Priests continues to grow with twenty-one priests to date.
So, today as he celebrates a milestone in his life for his golden jubilee of his priestly ordination and his 80th birthday, we congratulate and thank him for being a faithful and good shepherd. May God continue to bless him! Ad Multos Annos!