Bishop Will Be Missed in Nevada; New Flock Awaits Joyfully

Richard P. Ruiz first heard the news in church Monday.

As he knelt in Holy Family Cathedral in Orange during the regular 5:30 p.m. Mass, Ruiz was surprised to hear a new name introduced in the Prayers of the Faithful, the segment of the service where the congregation prays for special intentions, often for the sick, the dead and the church hierarchy.

“Right after the Pope, Msgr. John Urell named ‘Bishop-Designate Norman,’ ” Ruiz said Tuesday. “It caught my attention. After Mass, I said, ‘John, was that an announcement?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’ ”

Most of Orange County’s Catholic community heard by more traditional means--newspapers, radio, television--that Pope John Paul II on Monday named the Most Rev. Norman F. McFarland to be bishop of this rapidly growing diocese.

But like Ruiz, few know much about the 64-year-old clergyman, who is currently bishop of Reno-Las Vegas.

Late Bishop’s Adviser

“I don’t think any judgments have been formed,” said Ruiz, a former member of the bishop’s lay advisory board. Ruiz served on the board of the late Most Rev. William R. Johnson, who will be succeeded by McFarland.

“The Pope appoints the bishop,” Ruiz said. “He appointed Bishop Johnson, who was a wonderful bishop. . . . The Pope appointed Norman as the bishop of Orange County, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be a wonderful bishop, if the past is any precedent.”

Carl Karcher, founder and chairman of Anaheim-based Carl Karcher Enterprises, said he has met McFarland several times and believes that he will be “a great asset to the Diocese of Orange County.”

“I think he’s a beautiful individual,” said Karcher, who is an active member and fund-raiser for the diocese. “He’s a very charming man, very much in keeping with our church here. He’s a man of stature and a very fine bishop.”

One of McFarland’s qualities that most impresses Karcher is the new bishop’s dedication to the traditional teachings of the church, which serves more than 600,000 of its faithful in Orange County.

“I think Bishop Johnson and Bishop McFarland have a lot in common,” Karcher said. “They are very dedicated men in our Lord and are supportive of his Holiness Pope John Paul II.”

Fills Void Left by Death

Mary Bononi Jones, county chief of protocol and an active member of the county’s oldest parish, St. Boniface of Anaheim, echoed the sentiments of many local Catholics on Tuesday when she expressed pleasure that the vacancy Johnson left on his death last July will finally be filled.

“I’m delighted that they have appointed a bishop for our diocese,” Jones said. “We certainly have been praying that the Holy Spirit would guide the decision. I just don’t personally happen to know him, but from what I read it sounds that he certainly is well qualified and will make an excellent leader for our diocese.”

The only concern voiced about McFarland was over the bishop-designate’s stands on secular issues and his stringent adherence to church dogma. McFarland was a staunch opponent of the ratification of the equal rights amendment and believes that the death penalty “philosophically and ethically can be justified.”

‘He Sounds Conservative’

“I only know what I read about him in the paper,” Ruiz said. “He sounds conservative. The people who have a conservative bent and would like the church to adhere to the traditions of the church will be very happy. Those who would like the church to be more open will probably have another perception. Both views can serve Orange County.”

Still, optimism ruled the day Tuesday. Standing outside Holy Family Cathedral after the 12:10 p.m. Mass, most parishioners were joyful about McFarland’s upcoming arrival.

“He strikes me as a very personal . . . and loving kind of man. A particularly loving man who cares, much like our Bishop William,” said Ken Dufault, 52, of Orange. “It just sounds good. It’s going to be neat.”

Said Betty Peterson, 69, of Santa Ana: “I’m very happy about it. I like to see us get on with what we have to do.”