SPOKANE-- Bishop William Skylstad stepped into the role of Bishop of the Catholic Diocese in Spokane in April 1990. Now, 20 years later, he prepares to step into retirement. Jane McCarthy sat down with the Bishop and looked back on his 50 years in the priesthood.
He says his role is to love people. Bishop Skylstad, the patriarch of the Spokane Catholic Diocese, is almost always spreading that love, whether he’s visiting one of his 81 parishes in Eastern Washington or traveling across the globe to meet with the Pope and people of foreign countries. The Bishop says he is very richly blessed and that he’s enjoyed his work even if it’s been challenging at times.
Bishop Skylstad was drawn to the priesthood early. He left Washington’s Methow Valley at the age of 14 to attend a seminary in Ohio. By the time he was 26, he was ordained a priest. Eventually, he earned a high honor when his peers elected him president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Now on the cusp of retirement, he reflects on his 50 years in the priesthood and the day he steps down. He’s not exactly sure how he’ll feel; that part of the Bishop’s life story has yet to unfold. To be sure, his memories over the years have been rich, as he played an integral role in the lives of countless families. He says a lot of people come up to him saying things like “oh, you remember, you confirmed me 30 years ago.”
The passing years have changed the church tremendously and Bishop Skylstad has presided over a most challenging time. He admits, at times, it’s been painful too. Bishop Skylstad was criticized for not confronting claims of priest sexual abuse head on. He says he did the best he knew how at the time, but wishes he’d been better prepared for the firestorm of pain and accusation.
The church began staggering under the weight of legal claims related to priest abuse. As a result, the Spokane Diocese became one of the first in the nation to declare bankruptcy. He says he thinks the sex abuse scandal has done a tremendous amount of damage to the credibility of the church. But now that the abuse is no longer left to flourish under a cloak of secrecy, he believes the church can and will emerge stronger.
His impeding downshift will be significant and he wonders if retirement will come as easily as he imagines. A fellow bishop told him it takes about 8 months to adjust. He’s anxious for time to focus on hobbies like beekeeping and talking with fellow “hams” over his Ham radio. He’s also looking forward to welcoming his successor, incoming Bishop Blase Cupich, who he hopes will continue striving for unity.
He says hopefully in the few years the Lord gives him, however many that may be, he can help support the new bishop in that mission. As he moves into the future, Bishop Skylstad emotes a sense of joyful hope.
As for how he’d like to be remembered, it’s pretty simple. He says he hopes people would see him as one who lives out as faithfully as he could, given his own limitations, his vocation to priesthood, and his life as a bishop. Priests gave Bishop Skylstad a trip to Norway for retirement; that’s where his father was born. The Bishop plans on remaining a part of the catholic family and community in Spokane. He’ll also likely fill in for pastors from time-to-time.
