Photo By Michael Alexander

ATLANTA—Times of prayer and fellowship marked the departure of Bishop David P. Talley as he set off from the archdiocese to his new role as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana.

Bishop David Talley listens as Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory shares some words about him during an Oct. 19 farewell luncheon at the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Chancery. Bishop Talley, who was an auxiliary bishop of Atlanta, was recently named coadjutor bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana. Photo By Michael Alexander

Archdiocesan staff gathered at the Chancery in Smyrna Oct. 19 for a farewell luncheon in thanksgiving for Bishop Talley’s service as auxiliary bishop of Atlanta.

On Oct. 20, priests, ministry leaders and former parishioners from across the archdiocese prayed with Bishop Talley at evening vespers at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory and Bishop Talley spoke at the luncheon, held in the same room where his appointment as auxiliary bishop was announced at a press conference in December 2012.

“Those nearly four years have passed far too quickly for me,” said Archbishop Gregory. “He has left a lasting impression on … the archdiocese in its administrative functioning, but more importantly he’s left a wonderful legacy of priestly and episcopal service to this local church as pastor and shepherd.”

The archbishop offered a blessing for Bishop Talley.

“We ask the Lord to bless him each and every day of his future,” he prayed.

Bishop Talley gave words of encouragement to those who work for the archdiocese in support of the archbishop’s ministry of caring for God’s people.

“Our work here, every department, and every person of every department, assists the archbishop in bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. That is the only reason we exist,” said Bishop Talley. “And we will never go astray if we remember that He is the center of everything … and if we love and are humble, and ask forgiveness and forgive one another and work together, everything is possible.”

Pope Francis’ appointment of Bishop Talley as coadjutor bishop to Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of Alexandria was announced Sept. 21. As coadjutor he will succeed Bishop Herzog as head of the diocese when the bishop retires. A Mass of welcome will be celebrated in Alexandria on Nov. 7 at 2 p.m.

Nicknamed “Taz”

At evening vespers, Archbishop Gregory noted it has been almost 40 years since there was a similar sending forth of a diocesan priest to be a bishop elsewhere. In April 1978, Atlanta priest Msgr. Eusebius Beltran was appointed bishop of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“For 40 years, we kept everybody here intact,” said Archbishop Gregory. “We come in prayer to assure Bishop Talley that whatever distance now separates him from us in the next few weeks will always be bridged by prayer,” he said.

Deacon Bill Hampton and his wife, Kathy, of St. Matthew Church, Tyrone, are among the many people on hand for the evening of prayer for Bishop David Talley, the former auxiliary bishop of Atlanta and the recently named coadjutor bishop of Alexandria, La. Bishop Talley taught Deacon Hampton’s canon law class during his diaconate formation. Photo By Michael Alexander

The archbishop expressed gratitude for Bishop Talley’s wondrous service.

“We thank him for the energy that he brought to every task,” said Archbishop Gregory.

In the days following the appointment, the archbishop learned from Catholic blogger Rocco Palmo that “Taz” was Bishop Talley’s nickname at one of his parishes. The speed and energy with which Bishop Talley worked earned him the comparison to a Tasmanian devil, “minus the devil part,” said Archbishop Gregory.

The archbishop witnessed that energy and hard work firsthand.

“But his work was always done with a tenderness of heart and a desire that God be glorified in what he did for the Church,” added the archbishop.

He knows too the emotions involved with leaving one family for another.

“But, the very gifts that endear you to us will soon endear you to the Diocese of Alexandria,” the archbishop told him. “I will miss those pings on my cell phone at 5:30 in the morning that indicated ‘he’s up and he’s working.’”

Archbishop Gregory closed with words on behalf of Bishop Luis R. Zarama, the priests, deacons, religious, and parishioners.

“We say, thank you. God bless you. Alexandria will soon know how very fortunate they are,” he said.

Pastor asked life-changing question

Bishop Talley’s remarks at vespers recounted his journey to priesthood and beyond.

In 1985, he was finishing a master’s degree in social work at the University of Georgia, working full time at the Division of Family and Children Services in Atlanta.

He made an appointment to interview Father Richard Kieran, then pastor at St. Joseph Church in Athens, for a research paper on caring for the suffering from both therapeutic and spiritual standpoints.

“Slowly, he began to interview me,” explained Bishop Talley. “He asked questions—surface questions to start and deeper soulful questions, and he listened to what I said.”

Father Kieran asked the student if he was Catholic, and ultimately posed a lightning-bolt question, “Have you ever thought about serving the Lord as a priest?”

The priest was unaware that Bishop Talley had tried seminary and also religious life as a Jesuit novice and left.

“He couldn’t know all of my fear, my insecurity, my uncertainty, my sin,” he said. “But this busy pastor, he had listened to me as I spoke about suffering, about my work with abused children and about my longing to be an instrument in healing hearts and families. In today’s parlance, he accompanied me as I was discerning what my life was to be.”

Bishop David Talley, second from right, stands with (l-r) Joan Tobia, Alice Hill and Jeff Jetton. The trio from St. Jude the Apostle Church, Atlanta, met Bishop Talley during his first assignment as a parochial vicar at their parish in 1989. They were members of the parish singles group, Catholic Singles Together. He was the chaplain for the group. Photo By Michael Alexander

Bishop Talley said it was from that moment of grace onward that he began the path of priesthood for the archdiocese, which led him over the next 27 years to know all of the people attending vespers.

“From my seminary days at St. Meinrad through this afternoon, as I prepare to leave the archdiocese, I have been embraced by your friendship,” he said. “You have been God’s gift to me.”

Bishop Talley said it wasn’t until after ordination that his formation in Christ truly began.

“It wasn’t in books. It was in you. You became my instructors, my mentors. You formed me and educated me and humbled me and corrected me and inspired me,” said Bishop Talley.

He said he was honored those attending fought rush hour traffic to come pray vespers and say goodbye.

“I am honored and humbled by your friendship, and I will carry it in my heart as the pearl of great price,” he said.

Close to the people he serves

Sister Marie Breitenbeck, OP, attended the reception following vespers for Bishop Talley. Sister Marie has known the bishop since he served as parochial vicar and administrator of St. Jude the Apostle Church in Atlanta, his first assignment.

“His whole sense of church is that we’re all in this together,” she said. “It’s the way he lives his life.”

Bishop David Talley is the main celebrant and homilist at the 2013 Faith and Sharing Mass at St. Benedict Church, Johns Creek. Photo By Michael Alexander

Although Bishop Talley left a career in social work, his interest in serving the physically and mentally challenged continued.

“It was still a component, a major component of his ministry,” noted Sister Marie.

Father Desmond Drummer, administrator of Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Atlanta, served as lector at vespers.

This summer, Bishop Talley helped the newly appointed administrator through the transition.

“He was very engaged and he listened,” said Father Drummer, ordained a priest in 2014. “I took him for granted. I lament that.”

The bishop’s gift as a homilist is appreciated by parishioners and also by priests.

“I like to hear him preach,” said Father Drummer.

He recalled Bishop Talley’s homily at the installation Mass for friend and brother priest, Father Juan Areiza at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Blairsville.

Bishop David Talley, right, distributes holy Communion during the 2014 World AIDS Day Mass at St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro. Photo by Thomas Spink

In his homily, the bishop rallied the faith community around Father Areiza as their new pastor.

“He had me in tears,” said Father Drummer. “My friend, to this day, speaks very highly of the liturgy.”

Msgr. Peter Rau, pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Roswell, was working in vocations when Bishop Talley was a seminarian.

“He’s the consummate priest. He has a great sense of people,” said Msgr. Rau.

As a pastor, he lived the call to “smell like the sheep,” the pastor noted, being close to the people he served as a shepherd.

“David always knew what was going on,” he said.

As a member of the priest personnel review board, Msgr. Rau worked alongside Bishop Talley in his role as director of priest personnel.

He echoed the archbishop’s comments on Bishop Talley’s work ethic and commitment to helping fellow priests.

“He’s always been organized. He’s up. He’s ready. Most importantly, he’s a spiritual man,” said Msgr. Rau.

“It was hard to hear that he was leaving,” he said. “He will truly be a shepherd to help that community grow. It will be hard shoes to fill.”