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February Update from the Bishop Search/Nominating Committee

Search for the XI Bishop of Newark
By: 
Bishop Search/Nominating Committee

As you begin your Lenten journey, the Search/Nominating Committee asks for your continued prayers throughout our discernment.

This is a brief update so you will know where we are. Our amended Profile went live on January 2, 2018, and applicants could revise their essays up until January 10. Since then we have been reviewing essays, applications, resume/CVs, OTM (Office of Transitional Ministry) Profiles, letters of recommendation, phone interviews and video (Zoom) interviews. Our Committee has met on three “consecutive” Saturdays skipping Diocesan Convention.

We received over twenty applicants, two of which applied when the Search re-opened in January 2018. The first step in the process used a “blind search” whereby applicants answered five essay questions without providing any personally identifiable (race, gender, marital status, age, etc.) information. Committee members read the essays with a code-letter assigned to each applicant. Only after evaluating the essays did we match them to the applications. Although this took more time, it allowed us to avoid possible bias on any specific candidate.

After prayerful consideration of video interviews conducted using Zoom, we invited eight candidates to join us at our Discernment Retreat later this month. We look forward to gathering with these individuals to understand where God is leading us. After the retreat, our Committee will again prayerfully discern who to raise up as final candidates for XI Bishop of our Diocese. That list of names will be shared with the Standing Committee in late February, and on March 5 the Standing Committee will announce the “slate” of three to five candidates. The Standing Committee will also announce the opening of the Petition Process on March 5.

Continue to watch for updates on the Bishop Search page of the Diocesan website. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at BishopSearch@DioceseofNewark.org.

The Rev. Jerry Racioppi, Holy Spirit, Verona (Co-Chair)
Ms. Michele Simon, St. Paul's, Englewood (Co-Chair)