Michael David Pfeifer
Michael David Pfeifer | |
|---|---|
| Bishop Emeritus of San Angelo | |
| Church | Roman Catholic |
| Archdiocese | San Antonio |
| Diocese | San Angelo |
| Appointed | May 31, 1985 |
| Installed | July 26, 1985 |
| Term ended | December 12, 2013 |
| Predecessor | Joseph Anthony Fiorenza |
| Successor | Michael Sis |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 21, 1964 by Stephen Aloysius Leven |
| Consecration | July 26, 1985 by Patrick Flores, Joseph Fiorenza, and John Joseph Fitzpatrick |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 18, 1937 Alamo, Texas |
| Motto | For Christ and his people through Mary |
| Styles of Michael David Pfeifer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Michael David Pfeifer (born May 18, 1937) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo in Texas from 1985 to 2012.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Pfeifer was born on May 18, 1937 in Alamo, Texas, the son of Maund Pfeifer and Alice Clausney Savage. He grew up on a family farm, dealing with periods of poverty. Pfeifer entered St. Anthony’s Junior Seminary at age 13. He took his first vows with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on May 31,1958[1]
Priesthood[]
On December 21, 1964, Pfeifer was ordained into the priesthood by Bishop Stephen Leven for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. After his ordination, Pfeifer served as a missionary in Mexico for several years. [1][2]
Bishop of San Angelo[]
On May 31, 1985, Pope John Paul II named Pfeifer as Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo. He was consecrated by Archbishop Patrick Fernández Flores at the San Angelo Coliseum on July 26, 1985.[2][3]
Pfeifer has spoken against medical research using embryonic stem cells, instead promoting the use of adult stem cells.[4][5]
On December 17, 2008, Pfeifer and the Diocese of San Angelo were sued by a San Angelo man. The plaintiff claimed that David Espitia, pastor of St. Ann's Parish in Colorado City, Texas, had sexually abused him from 1994, when he was age eight, to 2002 and that the diocese covered up the crimes. In response, Pfeifer said that Espita told him on June 13, 2003 about the allegations and denied all of them. At that time, Pfeifer initiated an investigation. A week after his meeting with Pfeifer, Espita committed suicide.[6] [7][8] On November 21, 2011, the diocese reached an out-of-court settlement with the plaintiff.[9]
The 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on sexual abuse by clergy included a section on the transfer of Thomas C. Kelley, a priest from the Diocese of Erie in Pennsylvania, to the Diocese of San Angelo, despite a record of sexual abuse of young men. Five men aged 28 to 25 accused Kelley of sexual advances either at a high school or in the seminary; one man received a financial settlement from the Diocese of Erie. Kelley was sent to for psychological treatment twice; both facilities released him with recommendations that the have no contact with young parishioners. In 1995, Kelley requested a transfer to the Diocese of San Angelo.
Pfeifer had a conversation in 1995 with Erie Bishop Donald Trautman in which they discussed Kelley's record and his transfer. Pfeiffer eventually agreed to his transfer without any restrictions. There were no allegations of abuse filed against Kelley during his ten years in the Diocese of San Angelo; he died in 2005 Pfeifer has refused to comment on the story. Bishop Michael Sis, the current bishop of San Angelo, said he felt hurt and angry about the Kelley allegations. [10]
Retirement[]
Pfeifer submitted his resignation letter as Bishop of San Angelo to Pope Benedict XVI on his 75th birthday on May 18, 2012.[11] Pope Francis accepted Pfeifer's resignation on December 12, 2013.[2]
See also[]
- Catholic Church hierarchy
- Catholic Church in the United States
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of Catholic bishops of the United States
- Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
References[]
- ^ a b "Past Bishops of the Diocese of San Angelo". Diocese of San Angelo. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ a b c "Bishop Michael David Pfeifer, O.M.I." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ^ Abilene Reporter: "Bishop Michael Pfeifer: 25 years of compassion" July 23, 2010
- ^ San Angelo News: "LETTER: Stem cell research leaps forward" Bishop Michael Pfeifer, Diocese of San Angelo Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine January 22, 2011
- ^ Abilene Reporter: "Bishop leads a rosary in protest of abortions" January 20, 2010
- ^ "Pastor of Catholic church found dead after abuse allegations". Plainview Herald. 2003-06-13. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ "Lawsuit Claims Abuse by Priest at West Texas Churches". www.newswest9.com. December 30, 2009. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ ABC13. "Man claims abuse by late San Angelo priest | ABC13 Houston | abc13.com". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ "Diocese of San Angelo reaches out of court settlement in child abuse lawsuit". www.gosanangelo.com. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ Peguero, Joshua (2018-08-17). "San Angelo Diocese Bishop hurt and angry by report accusing ex-priest of sexual misconduct". KTXS. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ Bishop Pfeifer announces retirement, mywesttexas.com, May 12, 2012
External links[]
Episcopal succession[]
| Ordinaries | |
|---|---|
| Churches |
|
| |
 | This article about an American Catholic bishop or archbishop is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by . |
- 1937 births
- Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of San Antonio
- Living people
- People from Hidalgo County, Texas
- Religious leaders from Texas
- Catholics from Texas
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- American Roman Catholic bishop stubs