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Sex scandals, controversy plagued Cincy archbishop's career

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Archbishop Daniel. E. Pilarczyk (right), the longest-serving U.S. bishop, is retiring. His replacement is Dennis M. Schnurr (left). Staff photo by Jim Noelker

Jim Noelker Archbishop Daniel. E. Pilarczyk (right), the longest-serving U.S. bishop, is retiring. His replacement is Dennis M. Schnurr (left). Staff photo by Jim Noelker

By Tom Beyerlein, Staff Writer Updated 11:09 AM Sunday, August 30, 2009

CINCINNATI— Asked to enumerate his achievements in 27 years as the Archbishop of Cincinnati, Daniel E. Pilarczyk counted none.

“The church is the achievement of the Lord and the Lord is the achiever,” he said. “We are but the instruments.”

Earlier this month, the Dayton native who has become the longest-serving bishop in the United States and spiritual leader to 500,000 Catholics, submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI on his 75th birthday, as required under church law. Although the transition date isn’t certain, Pilarczyk is to be replaced by Dennis Schnurr, the former bishop of Duluth who was named Cincinnati’s coadjutor archbishop in October.

Pilarczyk has served during a turbulent time in American church history, facing a priest shortage, increasing secularism, dwindling church attendance and two waves of scandal, in the 1990s and earlier this decade, over the church’s handling of priests who sexually abused minors.

“I’m sorry for what happened,” Pilarczyk said of the abuse. “I think about it just about every day. I can’t restore the victims to what they were before the abuse, and I regret that.”

The author of a dozen books and many other writings, Pilarczyk served from 1989-92 as president of what is now the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He holds two doctorates, in theology and classics, as well as numerous honorary doctorates. Outside his office door, under a rainbow of academic hoods, is a shelf bearing the books he jokingly calls his “immortal works.”

“I think I have done some good with my writing, preaching, teaching,” Pilarczyk said. “What have I done in 27 years as archbishop? I would say I have preached the word of the Lord and celebrated the sacraments, and I’ll settle for that.”

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