Originally published at Orange County Catholic
The following is printed with permission from “Catholic Times,” the magazine of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois.
BISHOP KEVIN W. VANN is the bishop of the Diocese of Orange, California. Ordained a priest in 1981 in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, he served in various pastoral roles in his home diocese before being appointed the bishop of Fort Worth, Texas, in 2005. In 2012, he was then named the bishop of Orange. In September, Bishop Vann returned to Springfield for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Blessed
Sacrament Parish where he started as a priest and was pastor before being called by the Holy Father to become an Apostle of the Church. Catholic Times Editor Andrew Hansen sat down with Bishop Vann on the diocese podcast, Dive Deep. Answers here are edited.
Q. What do you miss most about Springfield and Central Illinois?
A. It’s a blessing to come back. I have a lot of memories in Springfield so for me, it’s good to touch base with people here every now and then. I’ve been grateful for every place I’ve ever been sent to and been, so you don’t compare. My time here was a great foundation for me, but
