Gilbert Sheldon (Bishop of Steubenville)

Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon (born September 20, 1926) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the third Bishop of Steubenville in Ohio, serving between 1992 and 2002. Sheldon previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland from 1976 to 1992.

For Archbishop of Canterbury, see Gilbert Sheldon.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon
Bishop Emeritus of Steubenville
Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon in 1998
ArchdioceseCincinnati
DioceseSteubenville
AppointedJanuary 28, 1992
InstalledApril 2, 1992
Term endedMay 31, 2002
PredecessorAlbert Henry Ottenweller
SuccessorRobert Daniel Conlon
Orders
OrdinationFebruary 28, 1953
by Edward Francis Hoban
ConsecrationJune 11, 1976
by James Aloysius Hickey, Joseph Bernardin, and Clarence George Issenmann
Personal details
Born (1926-09-20) September 20, 1926
Cleveland, Ohio
Previous post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland
MottoFortes in fide
Styles of
Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Early life and education

Sheldon was born in Cleveland, Ohio, one of 12 children of Ignatius Peter and Stephania Josephine (née Olszewski) Solinski-Sheldon.[1] He received his early education at the parochial school of St. Phillip Neri Parish, and then attended Cathedral Latin High School In Chardon, Ohio[1]

Sheldon studied at John Carroll University before beginning his studies for the priesthood at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Wickliffe, Ohio, earning a Master of Divinity degree.[1] He also earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Ohio Consortium of Seminaries.[1]

Priesthood

On February 28, 1953, Sheldon was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cleveland by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban.[2] Between 1953 and 1964, he served as an associate pastor at St. Rose's Parish in Cleveland, St. Clare's Parish in Lyndhurst, Ohio, and SS. Philip and James Church in Cleveland.[1] He served diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1964 to 1974.[1]

From 1974 to 1976, Sheldon served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Oberlin, Ohio and episcopal vicar of Lorain Count, Ohio.[1] He also served as chaplain at Magnificat High School In Rocky River, Ohio, and of the West Park Knights of Columbus.[1] Sheldon was a notary and prosynodal judge for the diocesan tribunal, instructor at St. John's College, and member of the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's Seminary and for Borromeo College.[1]

Episcopacy

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

On April 12, 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed Sheldon as Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland and Titular Bishop of Taparura.[2] He was installed and consecrated on June 11 1976 by Bishop James A. Hickey, with Archbishop Joseph Bernardin and Bishop Clarence G. Issenmann serving as co-consecrators.[2] As an auxiliary bishop, Sheldon was named vicar for Marriage and Family Concerns (1976) and vicar of Summit County (1978).[1] In 1979, he became vicar of the Southern Region of the diocese, including Summit, Medina, Wayne, and Ashland Counties.[3]

Sheldon was director of missions when the Archdiocese of Cleveland sponsored a mission in El Salvador, then in the midst of an insurgency.[3] On December 2, 1980, five members of the Salvadoran National Guard abducted, raped, and killed four American female missionaries in El Salvador. Two of the victims, Sister Dorothy Kazel and lay missionary Jean Donovan, came from the Archdiocese of Cleveland.[3]

Sheldon faced public controversy in 1984 when he asserted authority over the Bread of Life Community, a religious group which was accused of cult-like practices.[3] After an investigation, he chastised the group for unequal treatment of female members and for its doctrines; the group's official ecclesiastical authorization was withdrawn in 1985.[3]

Bishop of Steubenville

On January 28, 1992, Sheldon was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville by Pope John Paul II.[2] As bishop, he presided over the newest and most sparsely populated of Ohio's six Catholic dioceses.[3]

Later life

After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Sheldon resigned as Bishop of Steubenville on May 31, 2002.[2] He was succeeded by Father Robert Daniel Conlon, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

See also

References
  1. "Most Reverend Gilbert I. Sheldon". Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville. Archived from the original on 2012-09-26.
  2. "Bishop Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  3. Haferd, Laura (1992-01-29). "NO MORE BISHOP; AKRON'S GILBERT SHELDON IS NAMED TO TAKE OVER STEUBENVILLE DIOCESE". Akron Beacon Journal.

Episcopal succession
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.