Clergy applaud new Episcopal bishop

The election of Rev. Daniel Herzog, rector of Christ Church in Schenectady, as the new bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany has Schenectady Roman Catholic clergy pleased.

"It's wonderful," said Rev. Michael Hogan, pastor of Sacred Heart/St. Columba Roman Catholic Church in Schenectady's Hamilton Hill neighborhood. "It's a real tribute to Hamilton Hill and the work he's done here. It's a tribute to a priest who's worked among the poor."

Father Hogan has worked with Bishop-elect Herzog on several occasions. They both serve on the Clergy Justice Committee of Hamilton Hill, worked on Community Development Block Grants, and cooperated on other projects geared toward improving the inner-city neighborhood. The two have also celebrated a joint Thanksgiving liturgy, and hosted neighborhood Stations of the Cross and other religious gatherings.

Tribute to comrade

"He's an absolutely wonderful person to work with," Father Hogan said of the new Episcopal bishop. "He is a person who is extremely dedicated to his family and the Church. He is very concerned with ecumenical work and very concerned about the poor."

Father Herzog, 55, was elected bishop in an unprecedented single ballot. After he is consecrated in November, he will work beside Bishop David Ball, the current head of the Episcopal Diocese until Bishop Ball reaches the mandatory retirement age of 72 next June.

The Episcopal Diocese of Albany includes the 14 counties that make up the Roman Catholic Diocese as well as two-thirds of the counties that make up the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg. It includes 132 congregations and more than 25,000 members.

Plans for future

Bishop Herzog is looking forward to his work as leader of the 19-county Episcopal Diocese of Albany and hopes to continue the positive relationship between Roman Catholics and Episcopalians.

The two dioceses of Albany "have a wonderful, long-standing relationship, and I would like to see it sustained. It will be continued," he said, adding that ecumenism "is the will of Christ for His Church. All called to leadership must work toward this primary objective. We will cooperate at any level we can."

Rev. James Kane, pastor of St. Helen's Roman Catholic Church in Schenectady, and director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, looks forward to working with Bishop Herzog.

"As ecumenical director, I know Bishop-elect Herzog will be supportive of the warm, cordial relationship between our two dioceses," he said.

Ecumenical cooperation

Bishop Herzog said he enjoyed his work with other churches in Schenectady. His parish is one of 53 congregations in the Schenectady Inner City Ministry, which includes 12 Roman Catholic churches.

Bishop Herzog said he will miss "the vibrant life of Christ Church. This particular parish is very alive," he said.

A native of Ogdensburg, Bishop Herzog is married and the father of five. He received a BA from St. Bonaventure University and a master's in education from St. Lawrence University. He served as director of personnel at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center in Ogdensburg while serving as assistant rector of an Episcopal parish there.

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