February 28, 2006

Bishop appoints new director of St. Columban Center

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec has named Sister Kathleen Murphy, OSF, as the new director of the St. Columban Center, the diocesan retreat center located on the shores of Lake Erie in Derby.

Sister Kathleen replaces Msgr. James E. Wall who has moved into the full-time position as vicar of priests in the diocese, with continued residence at the St. Columban Center. He will offer sacramental ministry to retreatants there.

The Columban center offers retreats and other spiritual programs throughout the year to priests, women religious and the laity.

“I am confident that Sister Kathleen’s leadership will help to provide a strong basis for the renewal center to continue to provide the spiritual programs that are so vital to the Church in our diocese,” Bishop Kmiec said.

A native of Buffalo, Sister Kathleen was educated at Mt. St. Joseph Teacher’s College in Buffalo, the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and Niagara University in Lewiston.

A long time teacher in Catholic schools in the diocese, Sister Kathleen also served as the principal of four schools: Sacred Heart, Bowmansville; Holy Name of Jesus, Buffalo; St. Francis of Assisi, Tonawanda; and Nativity of Our Lord, Orchard Park. She also served as associate superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Buffalo, assistant superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Rochester and superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, a position she held for eight years before returning to the Diocese of Buffalo last year as associate director of the Columban Center.

“I am grateful to Bishop Kmiec for the confidence he has placed in me,” stated Sister Kathleen. “I look forward to promoting the mission of the St. Columban Center, a Christ-centered facility that affords all people an opportunity for renewing and discovering ways of living in harmony with God, self and others.”

Msgr. Wall, who had been spiritual and administrative director of the Columban Center since 1993, has been part-time vicar of priests since 1996. The Diocesan Presbyteral Council and Priest Personnel Board both recommended that the position be made full-time.

“This transition,” said Bishop Kmiec, “will allow Msgr. Wall to extend himself more in time and place in service to our priests, especially in this time of projected changes as part of our Journey in Faith and Grace. He enjoys the respect and esteem of our brother priests, and his fraternal concern and outreach will be a real benefit to them.”

Both appointments took effect on February 17, 2006.

For more information on the Columban Center, go to www.columbancenter.org

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