Hundreds of faithful Catholics attended Mass at Saint Augustine Cathedral on Sunday to bid farewell to Archbishop Edward Weisenburger. In February the Holy Father appointed the bishop of Tucson to the Archdiocese of Detroit, one of the largest and fastest growing Catholic dioceses in the United States. Weisenburger told the congregants that his departure is bittersweet, “My seven years in the Diocese of Tucson have been among the happiest of my life. While the Bible is filled with examples of going out into the desert to encounter God, I failed to realize how wonderfully I would find Him in our beloved Sonoran Desert.”
Weisenburger was ordained 37 years ago in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Growing up he said, “priests were my heroes.” Weisenburger, 64, often tells people he was called to the priesthood at a young age, “My sisters often say had I not been ordained a priest I’d be homeless because there was no plan B, it was priesthood or bust.” A sentiment the nearly 200 priests in the diocese know to be true about their shepherd, Reverend Richard Rivera, the parochial vicar at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Tucson said, “Bishop’s love for the priesthood, and his ability to live the words of St. John Vianney, ‘The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus,’ has been a gift and an inspiration to me. His love for God is evident by his deep concern for others.”
After 25 years of priesthood Weisenburger was appointed the eleventh Bishop of Salina, Kansas, by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Five years later in 2017, Weisenburger was appointed Bishop of Tucson by His Holiness, Pope Francis. Weisenburger is the seventh bishop to lead the Diocese of Tucson. His seven years and three months are the shortest for a bishop in diocesan history. It’s also been more than 100 years since a Tucson bishop was transferred to an archdiocese. Weisenburger has served in four dioceses, in four different provinces, and four episcopal regions of the United States, “I may be the most traveled of the bishops in the United States at this point,” he said with a laugh.
Weisenburger replaced Bishop Gerald Kicanas who retired when he turned 75 in 2017. Kicanas continues to reside in Tucson as the Bishop Emeritus, he served alongside Weisenburger at Sunday’s Mass, “The fraternal encouragement, help, and advice I have received from Bishop Gerald Kicanas has been a treasure beyond measure,” Weisenburger said.
During his time in Tucson, Weisenburger traveled to every vicariate and visited each of the 77 parishes and more than 20 schools. Weisenburger says he enjoys being with people, and following his farewell Mass, stood outside of the Cathedral to take pictures and visit with attendees, “While we oftentimes think of the clergy being the ones to inspire the laity, you will never know how much your faith in Jesus, and your love for His Church, deepens my own.”
Weisenburger leaves Tucson in March, he’ll be installed as the sixth Archbishop of Detroit on March 18, 2025. At the time of Weisenburger’s departure, a new Apostolic Administrator will be appointed, or the Diocesan College of Consultors will convene within 8 days of Weisenburger’s installation to nominate a Diocesan Administrator. The length of tenure is open-ended, until a new bishop is appointed.
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