Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger
Bishop Emeritus of Evansville
ArchdioceseIndianapolis
DioceseEvansville
AppointedMarch 11, 1989
InstalledApril 11, 1989
Term endedApril 26, 2011
PredecessorFrancis Raymond Shea
SuccessorCharles C. Thompson
Orders
OrdinationMay 7, 1961
by Paul Clarence Schulte
ConsecrationApril 11, 1989
by Edward Thomas O'Meara, Thomas J. O'Brien, and Daniel M. Buechlein
Personal details
Born (1935-10-20) October 20, 1935 (age 86)
Ramsey, Indiana
MottoDominus pars
Styles of
Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger
Mitre (plain).svg
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger (born October 20, 1935) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville in Indiana from 1989 to 2011.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Gettelfinger was born in Ramsey, Indiana in 1935. [1] He was the fourth of eight children of Gerald and Mary Gettelfinger. He attended St. Meinrad High School in St. Meinrad, Indiana, graduating in 1953. Gettelfinger then entered to Saint Meinrad School of Theology, where he graduated in 1957.

Priesthood[]

On May 7, 1961, Gettelfinger was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in St. Meinrad. [1] In 1969, Gettelfinger earned a Master of Education degree from Butler University. Gettelfinger served as Chancellor of the archdiocese from 1980 to 1988 and Vicar General from 1988 to 1989.

Bishop of Evansville[]

On March 11, 1989, Pope John Paul II appointed Gettelfinger as Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville. He was consecrated on April 11, 1989, with Archbishop Edward O'Meara serving as the principal consecrator.[1]

In 1998, Gettelfinger was named as bishop liaison to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS). He was a chaplain at the 2001 National Scout Jamboree and trekked at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico as part of the NCCS Saint George Trek. Gettelfinger received the Silver Buffalo Award in 2005.[2]

At the May 2002 meeting of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Gettelfinger opposed a one-strike policy against sexual abusers in the clergy in the USCCB adopted Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. At the November 2002 USCCB meeting, he was one of seven bishops who voted against the new policies the US bishops voted upon to prevent sexual abuse of minors. He has admitted to allowing at least one convicted child molester serve as a priest in the diocese, as well as other known molesters. [3]

Retirement[]

On April 27, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Gettelfinger's resignation as Bishop, replacing him with Bishop Charles C. Thompson.[4]On June 10, 2021, a special mass was celebrated at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville to honor Gettelfinger.[5]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c https://web.archive.org/web/20070817145351/http://www.evansville-diocese.org/bishop/bishop.htm. Archived from the original on 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2021-11-04. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ 2005 Silver Buffalo article
  3. ^ "Bishop Finds Loophole in "Zero Tolerance" Policy".
  4. ^ "Bishop Gettelfinger of Evansville retires; Louisville priest to succeed". Today's Catholic. 2011-04-27. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  5. ^ "Bishop Gettelfinger celebrates 60th anniversary of priestly ordination". evdiomessage.org. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2021-11-04.

External links[]

Episcopal succession[]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Evansville
1989–2011 		Succeeded by


Stub icon

This article about an American Catholic bishop or archbishop is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Stub icon

This Scouting or Guiding article about a person is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Retrieved from ""