| John Clayton Nienstedt | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis | |
| Enthroned | May 2, 2008 |
| Reign ended | incumbent |
| Predecessor | Harry Flynn |
| Other posts | Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit Bishop of New Ulm |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | July 27, 1974 |
| Consecration | July 9, 1996 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 18, 1947 Detroit, Michigan |
| Styles of John Nienstedt |
|
|---|---|
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
| Posthumous style | none |
John Clayton Nienstedt (born March 18, 1947) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, having previously served as Bishop of New Ulm from 2001 to 2007.
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John Nienstedt was born in Detroit, Michigan, to John C. and Elizabeth S. (née Kennedy) Nienstedt.[1] The second oldest of six children, he has two brothers, Richard and Michael, and three sisters, Barbara, Mary, and Corinne.[2]
He graduated in 1969 from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree, before furthering his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning a Bachelor's degree in Sacred Theology in 1972.[1] On April 29, 1972, he was ordained a deacon at the Pontifical North American College.[2] He also received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Institute of St. Alphonsus in 1977; his doctoral thesis was entitled, "Human Life in a Test-tube; the Moral Dimension of In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer."[1]
Upon his return to the United States, Nienstedt was ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 1974.[3] He then served as an associate pastor at Guardian Angels Parish in Clawson until 1976. He became secretary to Cardinal John Francis Dearden and a part-time professor of moral theology at St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth in 1977.[1] He was also a weekend associate pastor at St. Fabian's Parish in Farmington Hills and at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Farmington before becoming vicar general for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1979.[1] He accompanied Cardinal Dearden to the August 1978 papal conclave, where he met the future Pope John Paul II.[4]
In 1980, Nienstedt was assigned to the English desk of the Vatican Secretariat of State. During his time in Rome, he also served as a chaplain at Baby Jesus Hospital (1980–83) and to the Brothers of Holy Cross (1981–84). He earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Institute of St. Alphonsus in 1985.
Following his return in early 1986, he was named temporary assistant pastor at St. Regis Church in Birmingham and adjunct professor of moral theology at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake.[5] He was later made pastor of St. Patrick's Parish in Union Lake in July that year.[1] In 1987, Nienstedt was appointed to reorganize his alma mater of Sacred Heart Seminary, of which he became Rector in 1988.[5] He became a Honorary Prelate of His Holiness in 1990, and pastor of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak in 1994.[1]
On June 12, 1996, Nienstedt was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Alton by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 9 from Cardinal Adam Maida, with Cardinals James Aloysius Hickey and Edmund Szoka serving as co-consecrators.[3] He selected as his episcopal motto: Ut Omnes Unum Sint, meaning, "That They All May Be One" (John 17:21).
As an auxiliary of Detroit, Nienstedt served as Episcopal Vicar for the Dearborn, Downriver, Monroe, Northwest Wayne, Southland, and Western Wayne vicariates.[1]
Nienstedt was later named the third Bishop of New Ulm, Minnesota, on June 12, 2001.[3] Replacing Raymond A. Lucker, he was formally installed on the following August 6.[3] He denounced the more progressive views of his predecessor shortly after his arrival.[6] Despite a self-confessed "love for the Tridentine liturgy," the Bishop denied a request from the family of a deceased parishioner in 2005 for the latter to be buried according to the Tridentine rite. In response to the Terri Schiavo case, he stated, "Her case demonstrates the disparity that exists in this country between laws and basic moral principles. While we cannot legislate morality, we ought not to be legislating immorality."[7]
During his tenure, he also served as Chairman of the Committee on Priestly Formation and a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Health Care Issues and the Church in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.[8]
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Nienstedt Coadjutor Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis on April 24, 2007.[3] As coadjutor, he served as the designated successor to the incumbent, Archbishop Harry Flynn, who was approaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. He received the pallium, a vestment worn by metropolitan bishops, from Pope Benedict in St. Peter's Basilica on June 29, 2008.[9] Both of his parents died within the course of six weeks in the winter of 2007.[10]
Upon Flynn's retirement on May 2, 2008, Nienstedt automatically succeeded him as the eighth Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis.[3] Shortly after becoming Archbishop, he discontinued the gay pride prayer service that were held at St. Joan of Arc Church in Minneapolis;[11] he had earlier described homosexuality as a "result of psychological trauma" that "must be understood in the context of other human disorders: envy, malice, greed, etc."[12] He declined numerous invitations to the 2008 Republican National Convention, which was held in St. Paul.[13] During the 2008 presidential election, Nienstedt criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her "misinterpretation on the question of when life begins," adding that her "remarks underscore once again the need for Catholics, and especially Catholic politicians, to form their consciences according to the moral truths taught by the Catholic Church."[14] He has also criticized the Freedom of Choice Act, saying, "It is hard to imagine a more radical piece of pro-abortion legislation."[14]
He announced a Strategic Plan that foresees the closing of about 20 parishes, many of them ethnic and inner city parishes, in October 2010. Five parishes appealed the the decrees closing them, including two that took the matter to the Vatican (St. Austin and Holy Cross in Minneapolis). St. Austin lost its appeal in the Congregation for Clergy. As of December 2011, the Holy Cross appeal continues to be heard at the Apostolic Signature. Over 1,000 people signed the Holy Cross appeal to the Vatican. The determination of Holy Cross faithful and the Polish community (Holy Cross is an ethnic Polish parish) led to a public demonstration against the mergers at the St. Paul Cathedral in early August 2011.
He is opposed to same-sex unions, stem cell research involving stem cell lines drawn from discarded human embryos, and later bar-closing times.[10] He owns the Harry Potter books, enjoys hockey and skiing, and his favorite movie is Moonstruck.[10]
Within the USCCB, he currently sits on the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church and the Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
| Episcopal lineage | |
| Consecrated by: | Adam Maida |
| Consecrator of | |
|---|---|
| Bishop | Date of consecration |
| John M. LeVoir | September 15, 2008 |
| Lee A. Piché | June 29, 2009 |
| Paul Sirba | December 14, 2009 |
| Robert Dwayne Gruss | July 28, 2011 |
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Raymond Alphonse Lucker |
Bishop of New Ulm 6 August 2001–2 May 2008 |
Succeeded by John M. LeVoir |
| Preceded by Harry Flynn |
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis 2 May 2008–incumbent |
Succeeded by incumbent |