Edward Kmiec
His Excellency, The Most Reverend Bishop Edward Kmiec | |
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Bishop Emeritus of Buffalo | |
Church | Catholic Church |
Archdiocese | New York |
Diocese | Buffalo |
Appointed | August 12, 2004 |
Installed | October 28, 2004 |
Term ended | May 29, 2012 |
Predecessor | Henry Joseph Mansell |
Successor | Richard Joseph Malone |
Orders | |
Ordination | December 20, 1961 |
Consecration |
November 3, 1982 by John C. Reiss, George W. Ahr, and James John Hogan |
Personal details | |
Born |
Trenton, New Jersey | June 4, 1936
Nationality | American |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Bishop, Clergyman |
Previous post |
Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton Bishop of Nashville |
Motto | Charity and service |
Styles of Edward Urban Kmiec | |
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Reference style | |
Spoken style | Your Excellency |
Religious style | Bishop |
Ordination history of Edward Kmiec | |
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Episcopal consecration | |
Principal consecrator | John Charles Reiss |
Date of consecration | November 3, 1982 |
Bishops consecrated by Edward Kmiec as principal consecrator | |
David Choby | February 27, 2006 |
Edward Urban Kmiec (/ˈkɪmɪk/ KIH-mik, born June 4, 1936, Trenton, New Jersey) is a retired Roman Catholic Bishop of Buffalo.[1][2][3][4] Kmiec served as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Trenton from 1982[4] until his installation as Bishop of Nashville in 1992.[4] He was succeeded in Nashville in 2005 by David Choby.
Early religious life
At age 25, Kmiec was ordained a priest in Trenton, New Jersey on December 20, 1961.[4]
Episcopal career
Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton, New Jersey
Kmiec served as Auxiliary Bishop in Trenton, New Jersey for 10 years.[4] He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop in Trenton on August 26, 1982,[4] and was named Titular Bishop of Simidicca on the same date.[4]
Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee
Kmiec was Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee for 13 years.[4] He was appointed Bishop on October 13, 1992,[4] and installed on December 3, 1992.[4]
Bishop of Buffalo, New York
On August 12, 2004, Kmiec was appointed the Bishop of Buffalo;[1][4] he was installed on October 28, 2004.[4]
In 2007, Kmiec announced that the Diocese of Buffalo had a balanced budget, after spending cuts reduced a $2.1 million deficit from the previous year.[5]
In 2006, it was reported in Buffalo Business First that the previous leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo, Bishop Henry J. Mansell, had not been forthright with the public or his superiors about the debt experienced within the Diocese.[2] One individual was quoted in the same Buffalo Business First article, stating that Mansell was unable to see the reality of the situation.[2] While Mansell did not oversee any church closures during his leadership in Buffalo, he lauded praises and support for the Diocese when it was actually in decline.[2] Kmiec then took on the role as Bishop, faced with more than $3 million in debt, a declining Catholic population, and decreased viability for keeping many schools and churches open.[2]
Kmiec was heavily criticized for downsizing the diocese from 274 parishes and missions in 2005 to 170 parishes and missions in 2011. He also oversaw the closures of 25 elementary schools. Some Catholics maintain the church closings caused irreparable harm to the diocese.[6][7]
Increasing the number of vocations to the priesthood in the Buffalo Diocese remains a challenge.[2] The Diocese under Kmiec ordained only 18 priests from 2004 to 2011.[6]
Retirement
On May 29, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Kmiec's resignation due to his having surpassed the mandatory retirement age of 75.[4] Bishop Richard Joseph Malone from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in Maine was appointed as Kmiec's successor. Malone was installed at St. Joseph Cathedral on August 10, 2012.[8]
Kmiec was Bishop of Buffalo for eight years.[4] He is currently Bishop Emeritus of Buffalo,[4] having been a priest for more than 52 years.[4]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec, D.D., 13th Bishop of Buffalo". Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sole power: Bishop Edward Kmiec wants change - and so it will be, Buffalo Business First, Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Business First, 11 September 2006, O'Shei, T., Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ↑ Bishop Edward D. Head dies at 85, The Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, 30 March 2005, Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Bishop Edward Urban Kmiec, Catholic-Hierarchy, 29 May 2012, Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ↑ "Bishop says diocesan budget is balanced". Business Business First. September 5, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- 1 2 At 75, Kmiec reaches a crossroads, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, June 4, 2011.
- ↑ Honoring a bishop who weathered the storms, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, October 30, 2011.
- ↑ "Most Rev. Richard J. Malone appointed Bishop Of Buffalo". WKBW.com. May 29, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
External links
Episcopal succession
Catholic Church titles | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Henry J. Mansell |
Bishop of Buffalo 2004–2012 |
Succeeded by Richard Joseph Malone |
Preceded by James Daniel Niedergeses |
Bishop of Nashville 1992–2004 |
Succeeded by David Choby |
Preceded by – |
Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton 1982–1992 |
Succeeded by – |