In Memory

Bishop Joseph McKinney

1927-2010

Bishop Joseph McKinney was ordained a priest in 1953 and later ordained a bishop in 1968 at the age of 40, one of the youngest bishops in the U.S. at the time.

In 1964 he attended a Cursillo in Lansing, Michigan and promoted the movement in the Diocese of Grand Rapids. In 1970 he became active in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and was soon asked to serve as Episcopal Moderator to the Renewal by the then National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He began attending the NSC’s meetings in 1970-1971 as Episcopal Consultant.

In 1973 Bishop McKinney led a delegation of 11 leaders of the Renewal to a private audience with Pope Paul VI. He was a speaker at the 1975 International Conference on the Charismatic Renewal in Rome and was one of 12 bishops who concelebrated Mass with Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens at the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. In 1978 he was asked to serve on the NSC and elected chairman of the NSC a position he held until 1982.

By the time of his election Bishop McKinney had spoken on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Italy, New Zealand and in many cities throughout thee U.S. He was active in preaching priests’ retreats, most of them charismatic.

Early on he adopted as his characteristic proclamation, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” In 1977 he wrote, “Through the Charismatic Renewal I experience deeper peace in the Lord and much greater power in ministry. Jesus is the center of all because Jesus is Lord.”

At his election to the NSC, he said, “I feel very much like Peter when he was asked to step out of the boat and walk on the water. I know it’s a call from the Lord, but I also know I will get swamped if I don’t keep my eyes on the Lord.”

Of the Renewal he said, “I’ve needed the Charismatic Renewal for my own personal growth.”

In 1982 Bishop McKinney stepped off the NSC and resumed his prior role as Episcopal Consultant which he served as until 2002.

When he left the Service Committee the then Executive Director, Kevin Ranaghan said,

Bishop McKinney was an invaluable chairman of the National Service Committee. At the same time he served as NSC chairman, he remained on the Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Charismatic Renewal and worked closely with the development of diocesan liaisons for the Catholic charismatic renewal. He was a real source of unity in the Catholic charismatic renewal and he made a very strong public witness to the Church at large by the fact that a bishop was so involved with the National Service Committee. I consider it very important that he will continue as episcopal consultant to the NSC.

Father John Randall said Bishop McKinney was, “the man for the hour in the most recent stage of the Catholic charismatic renewal.”

In 1984 at the closing Mass of the National Conference Bishop McKinney went beyond his frequent call to us to love the Church “wrinkles and all”, asking us to decide to love the body of Christ, the Church, even “with or without renewal.”

In 1985 we reprinted an article in NSC Newsletter June/July p. 3 (forerunner to Pentecost Today) that had earlier been printed in New Covenant in which Bishop McKinney shared his experience of yielding to the gift of tongues. It is reprinted here.

In the late 1980’s Bishop McKinney wrote, Perpetuating Pentecost, a sacramental preparation program for Confirmation. In 1994 he revised it. An interview appeared in the Charismatic USA Newsletter (July/August/September 1994 p 11.) He said, “it rose out of my personal experience with the sacrament of confirmation…Perpetuating Pentecost is an attempt to pay back the Charismatic Renewal for all it has given me.”

In 1992, as the Renewal celebrated its 25th Anniversary, we asked a number of bishops in the U.S. to comment on the Renewal and the Church. Bishop McKinney said,

In the years that followed Vatican II there has been an enormous growth of lay activity in the church. The development of ministries has been energized by the Charismatic Renewal with its focus on the Holy Spirit. This Renewal plays a key role in the formation of lay ministries and in evangelization. Baptism in the Holy Sprit is the source of much vitality in the life of individual Catholics and in their participation in Catholic Church life.

Bishop McKinney served an invaluable role, especially in the U.S., in helping the Renewal to remain in the heart of the Church.

Although a long illness caused him to resign as Consultant and Chairman of the U.S. Bishop’ Ad Hoc Committee in 2002 and caused him not to be able to travel or speak at conferences, retreats etc. he will be surely missed.

Bill Beatty former Executive Director of the NSC upon learning of Bishop McKinney’s death wrote, “A lot of warm memories and gratitude for his patient wisdom comes to mind.” Kevin Ranaghan wrote, “May the angels lead him into paradise.”

Fr. Tom Forrest wrote,

Bishop McKinney was just about the very first great blessing that Jesus sent at the beginnings of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

He opened doors for us all over the world, and I believe he also played a role in gaining for us the acceptance and the appreciation of Pope John Paul II.

He was also a lot of fun for the simple fact that he could come into a crowded auditorium waving his arms high in the air, and with no fear of identifying himself with what God was doing in our lives and in the whole Catholic Church.

His episcopal motto was taken from Luke 22:27, “as one who serves.” He was surely that.

Requiescat in Pace