Bishop George Lucas lays hands on Dorick Wright in Belmopan, Belize, during the episcopal ordination of his Kenrick Seminary classmate.

When Bishop Dorick Wright arrived in Springfield Dec. 7 from Central America to undergo eyesight treatment, he never envisioned he would be here for over 11 weeks. But when he was finally released by his doctors and could return home to his Diocese of Belize on Feb. 27, he took a new vision with him. Not only did he have a physical improvement in his left eye's appearance and an anticipated improvement in its vision, he took with him the experience of witnessing first hand the kindness and compassion of strangers.

The day before he was to leave Springfield, Bishop Wright was eager to return to his flock. Confirmation season had already started, and many more were scheduled. His ad liminia visit with the Holy Father in Rome was just weeks away. He said he truly appreciated everything that so many people have done for him here, and he will remember them always. But he was ready to go home.

"Catholics make up about 50 percent of the population in Belize. As bishop, I'm constantly on the move throughout the country, because it is all one diocese," said Bishop Wright. "The family unit and children are very important in our country."

Bishop Wright said that in many ways, Belize is similar to Springfield.

"People in Belize dress like here. In restaurants you'll find food like here. I was still at Kenrick when the country's name changed from British Honduras to Belize, but it still remained a British colony until 1981, when it gained its independence. English is the national language of Belize, and now cable TV is everywhere, and has had an impact on many people.

"Our people should be allowed to be Belizeans," he said.

Also like Catholic dioceses in the United States, he said his diocese is struggling to increase vocations.

The pectoral cross worn by Bishop Dorick Wright of the Diocese of Belize was a gift from Pope John Paul II during his visit to Central America in July 2002. The Holy Father presented each Central American bishop a cross commemorating the visit during which time he canonized Pedro de San Jose Betancur, Central America’s first saint.

This was Bishop Wright's second visit to Springfield. He was here Dec. 14, 1999 for the ordination of Bishop George Lucas, who was a member of his ordination class at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. "It was bitter cold that day too," said Bishop Wright, who admits he prefers the heat and humidity of his homeland to cold weather any day.

Bishop Lucas in turn flew to Belmopan, Belize, April 4, 2002, to participate in Bishop Wright's ordination as titular bishop of Thimida Regia. Bishop Wright was appointed bishop of Belize on Nov. 18, 2006.

For several years Bishop Wright, 62, had experienced vision problems related to his Type 2 diabetes. But there was no one with the medical expertise and equipment to treat his condition in the small country of Belize, located between Mexico and Guatemala on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan peninsula

Last year Bishop Wright flew to California, where he received free treatment for his right eye. But  his diocese is far from affluent, and the estimated cost of additional treatment at $30,000, a return trip to California for treatment was out of the question.

"But then last year he noticed a big vision loss," said Paul Anthony, the retired Springfield optometrist, who has been to Belize as a mission volunteer. "I knew he was having some vision problems last summer," said Anthony, who is Catholic. "But I didn't realize how serious they were. I wish he had come to us sooner."

Anthony called around to medical colleagues of his in Springfield and within two days had people and institutions lined up to help Bishop Wright - and all at no charge. "I called the ophthalmologists at home, and they graciously accepted my pleas for help with the surgeries. Then I had to get an operating room, anesthesiologists and others things lined up," he said.

Richard Carlson, who has since retired as CEO at St. John's Hospital, readily agreed for the surgeries to be there. Bishop George Lucas helped secure living arrangements for Bishop Wright, telling Anthony to call the Franciscan sisters at their motherhouse, where they welcomed the visiting bishop to stay with them.

"When you see good surgeons, like the quality we had volunteer their services, they have very busy schedules. You are going to wait for appointment with them," said Anthony.

Two days after Christmas an ophthalmologists removed a cataract from Bishop Wright's left eye. Then 12 days later, he was back in surgery where another ophthalmologist performed multiple procedures to combat the bishop's diabetic retinopathy.

"The surgeries are not going to be able to correct all the damage that has been done to his eye," said Anthony. "But his eye is definitely better than when he arrived, and his vision will get better."

Scott Blomberg, an optometrist at Vision Care Associates, the firm from which Anthony is retired, fitted Bishop Wright with new reading glasses and new bifocals.

Dr. Jim McDermott, a Springfield dentist, gave the bishop a dental exam, repairing one of his teeth, and another dentist did a root canal.

Several directors of Curia offices visited with Bishop Wright throughout his stay. "It was a rare and wonderful opportunity to be able to just hang out with a bishop who had nothing to do -- having lunch, sitting at doctor's appointments, shopping for the kind of soap he likes and for shirts for him," said Vicki Compton, director of the diocesan Office for the Missions. "At the motherhouse, it was easy to see that the nurses and sisters there were so pleased to have him with them. He was a great favorite of theirs."

Shaun Riedell, director of the Stewardship Office, was particularly pleased to have Bishop Wright here. "My mother is from Belize, and Bishop Wright actually served as pastor of the parish in my mother's hometown of Orange Walk, and he presided over the funeral of my grandmother."

Riedell's father went to British Honduras in the early 1960s as a papal volunteer, and stayed at the cathedral rectory for his first few days in the country, where he was greeted by a young man named Dorick Wright.

"Bishop Wright has a wonderful sense of humor and was simply a joy to be around," said Riedell.