The new bishop of the Cleveland Catholic diocese, Nelson Perez, will be installed and take office on Tuesday. He answered some questions from listeners today (Thurs) on 90.3’s Sound of Ideas.
Nelson Perez will be ministering to 677 thousand Catholics in 8 counties. Although the number of priests nationwide has declined he called it ‘phenomenal” that as many as 70 young men are in the seminary in Cleveland.
He was asked when women will get the chance and replied that more and more women are gaining positions of authority in the church.
"Listen, as a young priest I reported to a woman when I worked for the archdiocese of Philadelphia in the diocesan structure. My boss was 2 women, as a priest. “
Cleveland’s first Hispanic Bishop supports immigration reform and says he hopes President Trump will respect human dignity and the sacredness of family. Perez recalled an honor student at LaSalle University where he taught, who had to leave school when it was discovered she was undocumented.
"It absolutely broke my heart. That young woman came here as a little child. I hope that whatever we do as a country we remember what our roots are, where we come from, and we respond with great compassion.”
The parents of Bishop Perez immigrated from Cuba.