Francis B. Schulte

Francis Bible Schulte (born December 23, 1926) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston from 1985 to 1988, and Archbishop of New Orleans from 1989 to 2001.^[1]

Biography

Francis Schulte was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Norwood Academy and St. Joseph's Preparatory School before studying at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook. He also studied at the University of Pennsylvania, from where he obtained a Master's degree in political science, Oxford University in England, and Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Schulte was ordained to the priesthood on May 10, 1952, and then served as a faculty member and department head of Philadelphia-area Catholic schools. He was assistant superintendent (1960–70) and then superintendent (1970–80) of archdiocesan schools. He was raised to the rank of Papal Chamberlain by Pope Paul VI, and became pastor of St. Margaret Church in Narberth in 1980.

On June 27, 1981, Schulte was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop of Afufenia by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 12 from John Cardinal Krol, with Bishops John Graham and Martin Lohmuller serving as co-consecrators.

He was later named the sixth Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, on June 4, 1985. He was appointed Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 6, 1988, and was installed on February 14, 1989. He retired as Archbishop on January 3, 2002.

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