Wednesday, August 12, 2009

ST. MARTIN DEANERY — Bishop James Garland recently returned to his hometown of Wilmington to celebrate two milestones in his years of service to the church.

Bishop James Garland gives the homily during a special Mass celebrating the anniversaries of his ordination to the priesthood and as a bishop. (CT/E.L. Hubbard)

Family, friends, parishioners and fellow clergy members joined Bishop Garland for a special Mass at St. Columkille Church on July 26 as he marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood and 25th of his ordination as a bishop.

Bishop Garland grew up on a farm outside of Wilmington and is a graduate of Wilmington High School. He attended Ohio State University before entering St. Gregory and Mount St. Mary’s seminaries and was ordained to the priesthood on Aug. 15, 1959. Early assignments included St. Theresa Parish in Springfield. Bishop Garland also served as director of Catholic Charities in Dayton and as archdiocesan director of Catholic Charities. He was a judge in the archdiocesan Tribunal, a teacher and became vicar for community affairs in 1976, along with duties at the former Our Lady of Grace Parish in Price Hill. In 1984 he was named auxiliary bishop of Cincinnati, vicar general and director of pastoral services. He was named bishop of Marquette, Mich., in 1992.

Retired since 2005, Bishop Garland enjoys writing articles for the Marquette diocesan newspaper, reading, music, gardening and serving as a hospice volunteer. Currently he serves as the executive director of the Bishop Baraga Association, for which the first bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, Frederic Baraga, is named.

The Mass was followed by a luncheon giving those gathered the opportunity to thank Bishop Garland for his decades of dedicated ministry.