Lawrence Eugene Brandt

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Most Reverend

Lawrence Eugene Brandt
Bishop Emeriitus of Greensburg
ChurchRoman Catholicism
ArchdiocesePhiladelphia
DioceseGreensburg
AppointedJanuary 2, 2004
InstalledMarch 4, 2004
Term endedApril 24, 2015
PredecessorAnthony G. Bosco
SuccessorEdward C. Malesic
Orders
OrdinationDecember 19, 1969
by James Aloysius Hickey
ConsecrationMarch 4, 2004
by Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali, Anthony G. Bosco, and Donald Walter Trautman
Personal details
Born (1939-03-27) March 27, 1939 (age 82)
Charleston, West Virginia
MottoIgnis caritatis
Coat of armsLawrence Eugene Brandt's coat of arms
Styles of
Lawrence Eugene Brandt
Coat of arms of Lawrence Eugene Brandt.svg
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Lawrence Eugene Brandt (born March 27, 1939) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg in Pennsylvania until April 24, 2015.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Lawrence Brandt was born in Charleston, West Virginia, the son of Lawrence E. and Priscilla (Purdy) Brandt. As a child, Lawrence Brandt would pretend to celebrate the Mass using a small workbench as an altar, Necco Wafers as hosts, and one of his father’s architectural manuals as the lectionary. The family later moved to Lake City, Pennsylvania, where Brandt attended St. John the Evangelist School in Girard, Pennsylvania. He then studied at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, for high school and college courses.[1]

Brandt then studied in Austria at the University of Innsbruck, obtaining his doctorate in philosophy in 1966. He also completed his theological studies at the Pontifical North American College and Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.[1]

Priesthood[]

Brandt was ordained to the priesthood on December 19, 1969, in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Brandt then attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, and entered the Vatican Diplomatic Service in 1973, serving in Madagascar, Germany, Ecuador, and Algeria[1] In 1974, Pope Paul VI. named Brandt chaplain of his holiness with the title of monsignor.[1]

In 1981, Brandt left diplomatic service for family reasons and returned to Pennsylvania. In 1984, he was incardinated into the Diocese of Erie, where he served as vice-chancellor. In 1985 to 1998, Brandt was appointed assistant chancellor and resident chaplain of Gannondale Residential Center for Girls, a residential facility for victims of violence and abuse.[1]

In 1983, Brandt returned to Rome to obtain his doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University, audited by Tarcisio Bertone. Brandt also studied at the University of Paris and the University of Florence.[1]

In 1991, Brandt was named Honorary Prelate of His Holiness. In 1998, Brandt left his positions at Gannondale to became pastor of St. Hedwig Church in Erie.[1] He later served as pastor at Christ the King Parish in Dunbar, West Virginia,., and Sacred Heart Parish in Charleston.[1]

Bishop[]

On January 2, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed Brandt as the fourth Bishop of Greensburg in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He received his episcopal consecration at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg on March 4 from Justin Cardinal Rigali, with Bishops Anthony Bosco and Donald Trautman serving as co-consecrators.[1]

In 2010, Brandt established the Diocesan Poverty Relief Fund for direct aid to the poor in the diocese.[1]

On June 3, 2014, Brandt and the diocese sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service over a provision in the Affordable Care Act that required certain religious institutions to provide contraceptive coverage in employer health insurance plans. The suit characterized this provision as an infringement on religious liberty.[2]

Retirement[]

On July 13, 2015, Brandt became Bishop Emeritus with the ordination and installation of Bishop Edward Malesic.[1]

On October 10, 2019, Brandt and the diocese were sued by a woman who had been raped beginning at age 12 by George Pierce, her parish priest in 1972. The suit claimed that the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to protect Pierce. In 2004, Brandt sent a request to Cardinal Josef Ratzinger to defrock Pierce.[3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Previous Bishops". www.dioceseofgreensburg.org. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  2. ^ "Diocese, bishop sue over HHS rule for violating 'core Catholic beliefs'". National Catholic Reporter. 2014-06-03. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  3. ^ dsutor@tribdem.com, Dave Sutor. "Lawsuit by woman alleging rape cover-up filed against Greensburg Roman Catholic Diocese". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved 2021-11-08.

External links[]

Episcopal succession[]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Greensburg
2004–2015 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from ""