|
A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust |
|
| Bishop Anthony G. Bosco
Bishop Bosco instituted the restored order of the sacraments for children to receive the sacrament of confirmation at the same time they receive first Eucharist. He directed the formation of the Department of Education and Spiritual Formation, which includes a wide variety of education, catechetical and liturgical offices. He instituted "New Wine, New Wineskins: Revisioning the Parish Through the Ministry of the Parish Pastoral Council," a process that focuses on parish leadership. He also began a regionalization effort to help parishes in an area work together to fulfill the mission of the church. He promulgated the diocesan-wide efforts "Journey of a Lifetime," which focuses on education in the Catholic faith as a lifelong process, and "Taste and See: Catechesis as Food for the Journey," the new catechetical guidelines. Bishop Bosco had the privilege of leading the Church of Greensburg through the Jubilee Year 2000. He celebrated the sacraments with parishioners at many parishes throughout the four counties of the diocese. The high point was the Jubilee Mass, which he celebrated for 2,000 people at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, making it the largest Mass ever celebrated in the diocese. He's also had to deal with difficult issues. A changing economy, especially the loss of the area's major industries (steel and coal) and other factors led to significant population declines in several parts of the diocese. That necessitated the closing of several parishes, decisions that met with varying degrees of public opposition. Believing strongly that the diocese should increase endowments to ensure a stable future, Bishop Bosco launched a $25 million capital campaign, "Honoring Our Past...Shaping Our Future," on September 21, 2000. The campaign raised more than $28 million for the diocese and its parishes. He has been active in the media for much of his priesthood: radio work with KDKA during Vatican II, hosting a television program, writing a column ("A View from the Bridge") for The Catholic Accent and providing commentary for "Accent on the Air," the former diocesan radio newsmagazine. He also chaired the U.S. bishops' communication committee. He has embraced new communication technology to evangelize and educate. The Catholic Press Association honored Bishop Bosco with the 2001 Bishop John England Award, which is given to publishers in the Catholic press for their defense of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. Bishop Bosco was born in New Castle on August 1, 1927, and raised on Pittsburgh's North Side. He graduated from North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh and attended St. Fidelis Seminary in Butler County and St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 7, 1952. Bishop Bosco served in several capacities in the Pittsburgh chancery and was named a monsignor in 1968. During part of that time, he was a chaplain and instructor at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh. He was ordained a bishop for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 30, 1970, and served there as an auxiliary bishop until his appointment to Greensburg after Bishop Connare's resignation.
|
St.
Joseph Church
Installed as the third bishop of Greensburg June 30, 1987, Bishop Anthony G. Bosco has served the church as a bishop for more than 33 of his nearly 52 years as a priest. Sincerely committed to the Second Vatican Council's call to the laity, Bishop Bosco's tenure in Greensburg has been marked by a multitude of efforts designed to catechize the laity and bring it into a richer involvement with the church.
