Indianapolis, Ind., Sep 21, 2011 / 08:14 am
Today Pope Benedict XVI accepted the early resignation of Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein of Indianapolis due to health issues.
“It has been a joy for me to serve as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for the past 20 years. I want to thank all of the clergy, religious, archdiocesan staff and lay people for the support you have given me over the years,” Archbishop Buechlein said in a Sept. 21 statement from the archdiocese.
“You truly have been a blessing to me. With your help and the help of God we have been able to accomplish much.”
The archbishop requested retirement earlier this year. At age 73, he is two years away from the normal retirement age for bishops. However, he has suffered from numerous health problems in recent years, including a mild stroke, a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a shoulder replacement surgery and the removal of a benign stomach tumor.