Indianapolis, Ind., Mar 25, 2011 / 01:38 am
Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein of Indianapolis was released from a local hospital and transferred to a rehabilitation clinic on March 24 to begin recovery after a recent stroke.
Archbishop Buechlein, 72, is expected to undergo three to four weeks of therapy at the clinic and will continue to oversee the operations of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis during his recovery, according to the archdiocesan paper The Criterion.
On March 18, the archbishop became dizzy while at home and called 911. After undergoing tests at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, doctors determined that he had suffered a mild stroke.
Archbishop Buechlein said the day-to-day operations and ministries of the archdiocese will continue as normal while he recuperates. He also said he would appreciate everyone’s prayers.
The archbishop has suffered a series of health problems over the past three years. In 2008 he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and underwent several weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He is now cancer free.
In 2009 the archbishop had shoulder replacement surgery and in 2010 he had surgery to remove a benign tumor from his stomach.
Indianapolis Auxiliary Bishop Christopher J. Coyne, who was ordained on March 2, had already begun taking over some of the archbishop’s duties, such as confirmations, Greg A. Otolski, the archdiocese’s Executive Director of Communications, told CNA on March 23. There have been no changes in Coyne’s responsibilities as a result of the archbishop’s stroke.