The Rt. Rev. Steven Andrew Miller chose lyrics by the founder of the Lutheran churches, Martin Luther (A Mighty Fortress is Our God), for his consecration processional Oct. 18 at the Roman Catholic Mater Christi Chapel in Milwaukee.

Bishop Miller’s only unscripted remarks during the service came when he brought forward his ecumenical counterparts: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Milwaukee Timothy Dolan and Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

“There’s a great tradition in town of these three bishops working together,” Bishop Miller noted enthusiastically. “When I came to town, [Archbishop] Tim [Dolan] said, ‘We’ll now have a full plate again.’”

In an interview which appeared the following day in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bishop Miller said he hoped to work ecumenically with Lutherans, Roman Catholics and other partners on issues such as pending state legislation that would allow people to carry concealed weapons.