c. 2006 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) There’s a reason why they call him Uncle Ted.

Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who officially entered retirement on Tuesday (May 16), is a rare bird among America’s Catholic bishops and, sadly, one of a dying breed.

Many things would make a man like McCarrick stand out _ his approachable style, his quick wit, the Irish twinkle in his eye, his incredible “I’m not holy enough” self-deprecation, his memorable three-point homilies.

The Washington Post praised him as “humble by nature” and “disarmingly impish.” The New York Times hailed him as a “natural diplomat.” The Rev. Robert Drinan, a Catholic priest who once served as a Democratic congressman from Massachusetts, said McCarrick had “no enemies” in his archdiocese.

But what really set McCarrick apart from his brother bishops was his willingness _ some might say eagerness _ to engage the media at a time when most bishops assumed the ostrich position and tried to ignore the storm swirling about them.

What McCarrick understands, and what too few of his fellow prelates seem to grasp, is that if the church wants fair treatment in the media, then it must actually engage the media. There is no way to tame the beast unless you are willing to throw it a bone from time to time.

During the bishops’ twice-yearly meetings, McCarrick would stroll into the press room, shake a few hands and take a few questions. Too many other bishops would refuse interviews, turn away at the sight of a press pass or escape to a waiting elevator.

To be sure, McCarrick danced a careful waltz with reporters, always walking a line between access and excess. He never strayed too far from the official line; there were questions he sidestepped and controversies he’d rather ignore.

At the same time, however, McCarrick never shied away from the questions. He was always available, even if he couldn’t come out and say what he really thought, or might want to say.

As archbishop of Washington, he became the church’s unofficial liaison to both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. A sign of his influence came in early 2001, when newly inaugurated President George W. Bush made McCarrick his first Washington dinner appointment.

McCarrick tackled head-on the church’s delicate relationship with Catholic politicians who dissent from the official line on abortion and gay rights. At the other end of the spectrum, he confronted other bishops who would have denied Communion to presidential candidate John Kerry and others.

As in every other interaction, McCarrick handled the controversy with firm but gentle grace. He said he would not use the sacraments as a “weapon,” and said he welcomed no “confrontation” at the Communion rail.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat who has spearheaded attempts by Capitol Hill Catholics to reach some consensus with the church, praised McCarrick for his “meaningful, pastoral counsel.” He is, she said, “a moral force.”

During the church’s long, dark night of the sex abuse scandal, McCarrick was often dispatched to face the media. His remarks were human and humble. After American cardinals were summoned to the Vatican in April 2002, McCarrick handled the public debriefing. “Words are in, words are out,” he said as he tried to make sense of the cardinals’ communique. It was a remarkably human moment.

Given the public beating the church has endured in the past four years, there would be a natural, almost understandable inclination to lash back, to hunker down, to retreat into defensiveness. It’s a position that has been embraced by many bishops.

But McCarrick never bought into that; he knew it made no sense to blame the messenger. Those of us in the Fourth Estate, knowing that McCarrick was genuine, appreciated the gesture, and were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

He declined the urges that would have made him into a politician and he remained a pastor. Serving as the cardinal archbishop of Washington could naturally lead to an inflated sense of self-importance, but McCarrick never saw much use for that. He saw himself, as he prayed during the Mass, as an “unworthy servant.”

Last month, knowing that his retirement was imminent, McCarrick sat down with Washington Post reporters and talked about the man who might take his place as archbishop.

“He should not be afraid of you people,” he said, referring to the news media. “He should be a holy man. He should be a great teacher, and he should teach more by example than with words. And he should be funny.”

Accessible, humble, funny _ McCarrick did all of that. He may have to cede his seat in the cathedral, but he’ll always be welcomed in the press room.

(Kevin Eckstrom is the editor of Religion News Service)

DEA/PH END ECKSTROM

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