Frederick F. Campbell

Frederick Francis Campbell (born August 5, 1943) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eleventh and current Bishop of Columbus.

Early life and education

The second of six children, Frederick Campbell was born in Elmira, New York, to Edward and Dorothy Campbell.^[1] He studied at St. Lawrence University in Canton, from where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in History and Foreign Language magna cum laude in 1965, and at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, earning a Master's (1967) and later doctorate (1973) in History.^[1]

From 1967 to 1969, Campbell taught at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus. He then served as an assistant professor of history at California State University in San Bernardino, California, from 1970 to 1976. Deciding to pursue the priesthood, he entered St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1976.^[1]

Priesthood

Campbell was ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis by Archbishop John Roach on May 31, 1980.^[2] He then served as an associate pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Anthony until 1987, and as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Hopkins from 1987 to 1994.^[1]

From 1991 to 1994, he was also canonical administrator of John Ireland School in Hopkins. He then served as pastor of St. Joseph Church in West St. Paul until 1999.^[1]

Episcopal career

Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis

On March 2, 1999, Campbell was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Titular Bishop of Afufenia by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 14 from Archbishop Harry Flynn, with Archbishop Roach and Bishop Joseph Carron, C.Pp.S., serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. Paul.^[2]

In July 2002, Campbell became rector and vice-president of St. Paul Seminary. He served on the seminary's Board of Trustees, and the Board of Directors for St. Thomas Academy and for St. Bernard School. He also served on the Archdiocesan Bio-Medical Ethics Commission and worked with the Office of Marriage and Family Life, the Respect Life Program, and the Office for the Permanent Diaconate.^[1]

Bishop of Columbus

Campbell was later named the eleventh Bishop of Columbus, Ohio, on October 14, 2004. Succeeding the retiring James A. Griffin, he was formally installed as Bishop on January 13, 2005.^[2] Instead of suspending the statute of limitations for one year on lawsuits of alleged child sex abuse, the Bishop has proposed establishing a civil registry of those who have been "credibly accused" of abuse.^[3]

On March 30, 2009, Campbell had his left leg amputated below the knee after doctors diagnosed him with squamous cell carcinoma.^[4] He also had osteomyelitis, an infection, in multiple bones in his foot, and an open wound that would not heal. A full recovery is expected.^[4]

References