Paul D. Etienne

The Most Reverend Paul Dennis Etienne
Archbishop of Seattle
Etienne in 2016
Archdiocese	Seattle
Appointed	April 29, 2019
Installed	September 3, 2019
Predecessor	J. Peter Sartain
Orders
Ordination	June 22, 1992
Consecration	December 9, 2009 by Charles J. Chaput, Daniel M. Buechlein, David L. Ricken
Personal details
Born	(1959-06-15) June 15, 1959 (age 62) Tell City, Indiana
Nationality	American
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Cheyenne (2009–2016) Archbishop of Anchorage (2016-2019)
Alma mater	Bellarmine University University of St. Thomas (BA) Pontifical Gregorian University (JCL)
Motto	Veritas in Caritate Truth in Charity

Styles of Paul Dennis Etienne
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Religious style	Archbishop

Paul Dennis Etienne (born June 15, 1959) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who is the Archbishop of Seattle.^[1]

Previously, Etienne was the Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming, from 2009 to 2016 and Archbishop of Anchorage from 2016 to 2019.^[2] On September 3, 2019, Etienne automatically became the 6th Archbishop of Seattle following the resignation of his predecessor.^[3]

Biography[]

Early life and education[]

Etienne was born June 15, 1959, in Tell City, Indiana, the second son of Paul and Kay Etienne. An uncle is a diocesan priest, an aunt is a Benedictine nun. Etienne has a sister (Nicolette) who is a Benedictine nun at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana; two brothers, (Zachary & Bernard) are diocesan priests in the Diocese of Evansville.^{[citation needed]}

“We just had priests and nuns and seminarians in and out of our house as regularly, no wonder that four out of the six kids in my family chose religious vocations and that the other two have remained as close to the Church as they have.”^{[citation needed]}

Etienne attended Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky before completing his studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He obtained B.A. in Business Administration in 1986.

After several years of work, Etienne began his ecclesiastical studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he obtained a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in 1995.

Ordination and ministry[]

Etienne was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on June 27, 1992.^[4] Etienne served in the following positions:

• assistant pastor of the Saint Barnabas Parish, Indianapolis (1992–1993)
• director of vocations (1995–1998)
• pastor of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in New Albany, Indiana (1998–2008).

Beginning 2002, he served at Saint John the Baptist Parish in New Albany, and pastor of the Saint Simon the Apostle Parish and Saint John the Evangelist in Indianapolis (2008–2009). He also served as vice-rector of the Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis (from 2008), and pastor of the Saint Paul Parish at Tell City (from 2009). He was also Consultant and member of the archdiocesan council of priests.

Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming[]

Coat of Arms as Bishop of Cheyenne

This section needs expansion with: additional facts of Bishop Etienne's activities for the Diocese from 2009–2016. You can help by . (February 2020)

On October 19, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Etienne as the Bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne in Wyoming.^[4][5] He succeeded Bishop David L. Ricken, who was named the Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay on July 9, 2008.

Etienne was consecrated as bishop on December 9, 2009, and took possession of the see on the same day.^[6]

Archbishop of Anchorage, Alaska[]

Coat of Arms as Archbishop of Anchorage

This section needs expansion with: additional facts of Archbishop Etienne's activities for the Diocese from 2016–2019. You can help by . (February 2020)

Etienne was appointed Archbishop of Anchorage on October 4, 2016. He was installed there at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral on November 9, 2016. He succeeded Roger Lawrence Schwietz.^[7]

Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle[]

Personal Coat of Arms

On April 29, 2019, Pope Francis named Etienne Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle.^[8][9] The appointment was publicized by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.^[10] The Mass celebrating his "rite of reception" was held on June 7 at St. James Cathedral.^[11]

Archbishop of Seattle[]

On September 3, 2019, Pierre informed the Archdiocese that Etienne had automatically become Archbishop of Seattle following the resignation of his predecessor, J. Peter Sartain.^[3]

On September 9th, 2019, Etienne announced that he would not be residing in Connolly House, the mansion for the archbishop of Seattle.^[12] He stated:

"I prefer to live a more simplified life," he explained, adding that he was "exploring options on church properties" and hoped to find an alternative soon. "Meanwhile, a prudent discussion will explore the possibility of selling Connolly House to help fund the great many needs across this archdiocese," he wrote.^[12]

On June 21, 2021, Etienne announced his opposition to a proposal on the eucharist by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, stating that it had become politicized.^[13]

References[]

External links[]

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne