Shopping Amongst the Episcopate

Shopping Amongst the Episcopate August 13, 2013

On Saturday I met the new Bishop of the Diocese of Fargo, Bishop John Thomas Folda, while shopping at Costco with my wife. She spotted him first and talked to him in the cooler section.

My attitude toward Bishops — and authority figures in general — oscillates from cautious to skeptical, but I’d heard he was a nice guy from a buddy of mine who knew him. I decided to meet him too, and see if I could get a picture to share with all of you. For a while I was thinking about taking a pic of him from a distance, but that just seemed too creepy.

He has a very firm handshake and doesn’t take himself too seriously. He comes across youthful and kind. All good things. He also seems to be a very shrewd consumer of shaving creme; he took his time inspecting the bulk options in the aisle. I couldn’t help but think of the simple humanity of it all and the shadow of Francis that seemed to be present in that ordinary meet and greet.

Thank God he wasn’t wearing his “civis,” then we’d have a not so good ‘ol time hearing about what a terrible person he is in the comment boxes. As for me and my house, we like him just fine.

Welcome to North Dakota, Bishop Folda!


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