CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio -- During his installation in 1981 as the ninth bishop of Cleveland, Bishop Anthony M. Pilla invited all to join him in a “Pilgrimage of Hope.” He could only imagine the remarkable journey that he and Catholics of Northeast Ohio would take.
His years as bishop were marked by enormous changes that have impacted the Roman Catholic Church, this region and people he loved deeply. Throughout it all, Bishop Pilla was unparalleled in his commitment to social justice, peace and the promotion of the common good.
Bishop Pilla was a “servant leader.” He celebrated Mass with prisoners in the jails of Northeast Ohio. It was also common for him to grab an apron and serve meals to the hungry at the Bishop Cosgrove or St. Augustine Hunger Centers in Cleveland. These were not photo ops but treasured times in which he encountered the poorest among us. He expressed Christ’s love to them and affirmed their human dignity.
One Saturday, the bishop visited a family-run dairy farm in Smithville, Ohio. After touring the milking operations, he held an impromptu listening session with farmers. They wanted their bishop to understand how federal policies challenged their future.
Despite his demanding schedule, he rarely missed a dedication of an independent living facility for seniors. Ten such facilities were constructed by Catholic Charities during his time as bishop. In addition, Catholic Charities continued the healing ministry of Jesus with more than 100 programs serving 470,000 persons annually, most of whom are not Catholic.
One of the accomplishments that the bishop will be most remembered for is his 1993 pastoral statement entitled, “The Church in the City.” Pilla urged Catholics and others to seek common ground for the common good. He invited Protestants, African American church leaders, Jews, Muslims and others to join civic, business leaders and public officials to rebuild our cities and work to overcome poverty. The Church in the City provided a moral framework for land-use policy; encouraged farmland preservation; and cautioned against policies that contribute to urban sprawl. It prompted conversations about regional cooperation, tax-based sharing, education, economic development, affordable housing, brownfields and job creation.
Bishop Pilla never sought prestigious positions within the church. His peers, however, recognized his spirituality, keen insight, and his commitment to a consensus model of decision making. In 1995, he became the first Cleveland bishop elected as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In that capacity, he oversaw the Office of Social Development and World Peace, the church’s national public policy arm.
In 2001, during a visit to Cleveland, President George W. Bush and the bishop discussed an issue that was a priority for faith-based groups, the child tax credit. There are always a lot of factors involved in the passage of any legislation. What is a matter of record, however, is that the president, after initial internal opposition, signed the child tax credit bill into law shortly after his trip to Cleveland. The effect was to raise tens of thousands of U.S. children above the poverty level.
Through the Catholic Conference of Ohio, the bishop guided statements on abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, poverty, immigrants, housing, health care, racism, concealed carry, tax reform and many others. He had a hand in every major document published by the Ohio bishops.
The expansion of social action in the diocese also happened under Bishop Pilla. Five Catholic commissions function throughout the diocese. These commissions have established more than 35 nonprofit organizations, such as food banks, shelters for the homeless, and housing development corporations. They were also viewed as influential public policy advocates.
This is just a small glimpse of the life of a compassionate bishop who led his church in challenging times. It has clearly been a “Pilgrimage of Hope.”
Tom Allio served as the senior director of the Cleveland Diocesan Social Action Office.
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