Anthony Pilla
Encyclopedia
Anthony Michael Pilla is a bishop
of the Catholic Church in the United States
. He served as auxiliary bishop
of the Diocese of Cleveland
from 1979 to 1980 and Bishop of Cleveland from 1980 to 2006.
. He was ordained
a priest
for the Diocese of Cleveland on May 23, 1959. On June 30, 1979 Pope John Paul II named Pilla Titular Bishop
of Scardona and Auxiliary Bishop
of Cleveland. He was ordained a bishop by Bishop James Aloysius Hickey of Cleveland on August 1, 1979. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Clarence George Issenmann
, Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland and Joseph Abel Francis, S.V.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Newark
. He was named Apostolic Administrator
of the diocese on July 29, 1980 after Bishop Hickey was named Archbishop of Washington
, and as Hickey's successor on November 13, 1980.
Bishop Pilla was installed as the ninth bishop of Cleveland on January 6, 1981. He was elected president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
in November, 1995 and served until 1998. Toward the end of his time as bishop he had to deal with the clergy sexual abuse crisis
, and with the diocesan legal and finance officer who was accused of stealing over $700,000 from the diocese. Pilla testified during the trial in Federal Court in 2008 after he left office. On April 4, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation and he became Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland. He was replaced by Richard Lennon
on the same day. Bishop Pilla was thought to have retired due to cardiovascular problems; he is known to have undergone open-heart bypass surgery.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Catholic Church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Diocese of Cleveland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is a Roman Catholic diocese in Ohio. It was erected on April 23, 1847 by Pope Pius IX. The diocese lost territory in 1910 when the Diocese of Toledo was erected by Pope Pius X, and in 1943 when the Diocese of Youngstown was erected by Pope Pius XII...
from 1979 to 1980 and Bishop of Cleveland from 1980 to 2006.
Biography
Pilla was born in Cleveland and graduated from John Carroll UniversityJohn Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
. He was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for the Diocese of Cleveland on May 23, 1959. On June 30, 1979 Pope John Paul II named Pilla Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Scardona and Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Cleveland. He was ordained a bishop by Bishop James Aloysius Hickey of Cleveland on August 1, 1979. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Clarence George Issenmann
Clarence George Issenmann
Clarence George Issenmann was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cleveland from 1966 to 1974.-Biography:...
, Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland and Joseph Abel Francis, S.V.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
. He was named Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the diocese on July 29, 1980 after Bishop Hickey was named Archbishop of Washington
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the District of Columbia and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and Saint Mary's counties in the state of Maryland....
, and as Hickey's successor on November 13, 1980.
Bishop Pilla was installed as the ninth bishop of Cleveland on January 6, 1981. He was elected president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
in November, 1995 and served until 1998. Toward the end of his time as bishop he had to deal with the clergy sexual abuse crisis
Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States
Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States refers to a series of lawsuits, criminal prosecutions, and scandals related to sexual abuse committed by Catholic priests and members of religious orders, that first rose to widespread public attention in the last two decades of the 20th...
, and with the diocesan legal and finance officer who was accused of stealing over $700,000 from the diocese. Pilla testified during the trial in Federal Court in 2008 after he left office. On April 4, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation and he became Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland. He was replaced by Richard Lennon
Richard Lennon
Richard Gerard Lennon is the Roman Catholic bishop of Cleveland, Ohio, since May 15, 2006.-Background:A native of Arlington, Massachusetts, Lennon is the son of an Arlington, Mass. firefighter Lennon attended St. James the Apostle grammar school in St...
on the same day. Bishop Pilla was thought to have retired due to cardiovascular problems; he is known to have undergone open-heart bypass surgery.