A Bishop of Consequence

WHEN I FIRST MET Bishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., more than 20 years ago, I was struck by his boyish demeanor, his exquisite courtesy and his rock-solid faith. Then the bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota, a diocese that serves several reservations, Bishop Chaput was obviously proud of his Potawatomi heritage without wearing his roots, so to speak, on his sleeve. Moreover, his striking modesty and personal gentleness exemplified the Franciscan vocation he had embraced. Here, I thought, is a real pastor, living out the meaning of his episcopal motto, “As Christ loved the Church.”