{"id":13377,"date":"2013-10-25T21:31:11","date_gmt":"2013-10-26T02:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kathyschiffer\/?p=13377"},"modified":"2016-09-30T15:55:05","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T20:55:05","slug":"oh-my-gosh-a-second-american-bishop-has-contracted-hepatitis-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kathyschiffer\/2013\/10\/oh-my-gosh-a-second-american-bishop-has-contracted-hepatitis-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Oh My Gosh! A Second American Bishop Has Contracted Hepatitis A!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

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Earlier today, I reported<\/a> that Fargo\u2019s new bishop, Bishop \u00a0John T. Folda, had contracted Hepatitis A<\/strong> while attending the recent Bishops\u2019 School in Rome, and had unknowingly exposed worshippers at four churches to the virus.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>It turns out that Bishop Folda isn\u2019t the only new bishop to contract the virus.\u00a0<\/strong> A statement released this evening from the Diocese of Tyler reports that their ordinary, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland,<\/strong> has also been diagnosed with Hepatitis A.\u00a0 Bishop Strickland, who was ordained in November 2012, also attended the Bishops\u2019 School program in Rome on September 10-19.<\/p>\n

At this point, no other bishops have announced any health effects from the recent trip.\u00a0<\/strong> I\u2019ve placed a call to the office of Bishop Michael Barber in the Diocese of Oakland, another new bishop. \u00a0At this point, I don\u2019t know whether he attended the same orientation program, and there\u2019s been no announcement regarding any health problem; so we can pray that he is well.\u00a0 Pray, too, that no other bishops, in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world, have been taken ill.<\/p>\n

Below is the full text of the letter<\/strong> from the Diocese of Tyler, as posted by KETK-TV.<\/p>\n

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TYLER, TEXAS (KETK) \u2014\u00a0<\/strong>Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, ordained bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, November 28, 2012, has been diagnosed as suffering from Hepatitis A.<\/p>\n

Bishop Strickland attended \u201cBishops\u2019 School\u201d for newly ordained bishops in Rome in September 2013, and contracted the disease at that time. At least one other bishop in attendance had also been diagnosed with Hepatitis A.<\/p>\n

On his return from Diocese of Tyler in late September 2013, Bishop Strickland continued his pastoral duties throughout the Diocese, unaware of his exposure. When he began to experience flu-like symptoms in mid-October, he took himself off duty and sought medical care. Vicar General Bishop Edmond Carmody, has filled in for Strickland during the absence.<\/p>\n

Bishop Strickland is feeling much better now and is responding to medical treatment.The\u00a0diocese\u00a0asks the community to keep Bishop Strickland in their prayers.<\/p>\n

Dusty Gonzalez with the Northeast Texas Public Health District offered the following information:<\/strong><\/p>\n