Bernard Hebda
Encyclopedia
Bernard Anthony Hebda is the bishop of Gaylord
since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI
on 7 October 2009. He was consecrated a bishop and installed on 1 December 2009 at Saint Mary's Cathedral in Gaylord. He had previously served as Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for of Legislative Texts
.
in 1959 in the community of Brookline. He attended South Hills Catholic High School (now Seton-La Salle Catholic High School
, and then attended Harvard University
, earning a BA in 1980 in Political Science
. He later earned a Juris Doctor
from Columbia Law School
at the Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law in 1983.
He entered the seminary and studied philosophy
at the Saint Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh from 1984 to 1985. He was sent to Rome, where he resided at the Pontifical North American College
and attended the Pontifical Gregorian University
, obtaining a Bachelor of Sacred Theology
(1985–1988) and then a licentiate
in Canon Law
(1988–1990).
, where he held the following positions: assistant priest at the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Ellwood City (1989), personal secretary of the then-Bishop of Pittsburgh, Donald Wuerl
and Master of Ceremonies (1990–1992), and pastor in solidum at the Prince of Peace Parish in Pittsburgh (South Side) (1992–1995), Judge of the Diocesan Tribunal (1992–1996), and Director of the Newman Center at Slippery Rock University
(1995–1996).
He was called to Rome to work at the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
on 10 September 1996. On 16 February 2000 he was appointed as a Chaplain of His Holiness
with the title Monsignor. From 2003 he served as under-secretary of the Pontifical Council.
In Rome, Hebda was also an adjunct spiritual director at the Pontifical North American College and confessor to the Missionaries of Charity
. He lived at the Villa Stritch, a residence for American priests working in the Holy See
. After his appointment as Bishop of Gaylord, Hebda presided at Vespers
at the Pontifical North American College on 16 October 2009. During the banquet that followed the liturgy, the College community presented him with a pectoral cross
and crosier
.
Besides English, he speaks Italian and knows Latin, French, and Spanish.
.
With Hebda's appointment, a record seven Pittsburghers now lead US dioceses, including Daniel DiNardo
of Galveston-Houston, Donald Wuerl
of Washington D.C., David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Thomas Tobin
of Providence and Edward Burns
of Juneau
.
He was consecrated a bishop and installed on 1 December 2009 at Saint Mary's Cathedral
in Gaylord.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Northern Michigan region of the United States. It comprises the twenty-one most northern counties of the lower peninsula of the state, and includes the cities of Traverse City,...
since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on 7 October 2009. He was consecrated a bishop and installed on 1 December 2009 at Saint Mary's Cathedral in Gaylord. He had previously served as Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for of Legislative Texts
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts is part of the Roman Curia. Its work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". ....
.
Early life and education
Hebda was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1959 in the community of Brookline. He attended South Hills Catholic High School (now Seton-La Salle Catholic High School
Seton-La Salle Catholic High School
Seton-La Salle Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, and then attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, earning a BA in 1980 in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. He later earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
at the Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law in 1983.
He entered the seminary and studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the Saint Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh from 1984 to 1985. He was sent to Rome, where he resided at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
and attended the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
, obtaining a Bachelor of Sacred Theology
Bachelor of Sacred Theology
The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
(1985–1988) and then a licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
in Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
(1988–1990).
Ordination and early career
He was ordained a priest on 1 July 1989 for the Diocese of PittsburghRoman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
, where he held the following positions: assistant priest at the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Ellwood City (1989), personal secretary of the then-Bishop of Pittsburgh, Donald Wuerl
Donald Wuerl
Donald William Wuerl is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Archbishop of Washington, serving since 2006. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle and Bishop of Pittsburgh...
and Master of Ceremonies (1990–1992), and pastor in solidum at the Prince of Peace Parish in Pittsburgh (South Side) (1992–1995), Judge of the Diocesan Tribunal (1992–1996), and Director of the Newman Center at Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public, master's-level university that offers some doctoral programs in cooperation with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Both institutions are members of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education...
(1995–1996).
He was called to Rome to work at the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts is part of the Roman Curia. Its work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". ....
on 10 September 1996. On 16 February 2000 he was appointed as a Chaplain of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
with the title Monsignor. From 2003 he served as under-secretary of the Pontifical Council.
In Rome, Hebda was also an adjunct spiritual director at the Pontifical North American College and confessor to the Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which consists of over 4,500 sisters and is active in 133 countries...
. He lived at the Villa Stritch, a residence for American priests working in the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. After his appointment as Bishop of Gaylord, Hebda presided at Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
at the Pontifical North American College on 16 October 2009. During the banquet that followed the liturgy, the College community presented him with a pectoral cross
Pectoral cross
A pectoral cross or pectorale is a cross, usually relatively large, suspended from the neck by a cord or chain that reaches well down the chest. It is worn by the clergy as an indication of their position, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians, which have no...
and crosier
Crosier
A crosier is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran and Pentecostal prelates...
.
Besides English, he speaks Italian and knows Latin, French, and Spanish.
Bishop of Gaylord
On 7 October 2009 Hebda was named as the fourth bishop of GaylordRoman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Northern Michigan region of the United States. It comprises the twenty-one most northern counties of the lower peninsula of the state, and includes the cities of Traverse City,...
.
With Hebda's appointment, a record seven Pittsburghers now lead US dioceses, including Daniel DiNardo
Daniel DiNardo
Daniel Nicholas DiNardo is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the second and current Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, serving since 2006. He previously served as Bishop of Sioux City from 1998 to 2004....
of Galveston-Houston, Donald Wuerl
Donald Wuerl
Donald William Wuerl is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Archbishop of Washington, serving since 2006. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle and Bishop of Pittsburgh...
of Washington D.C., David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Thomas Tobin
Thomas Tobin
Sir Thomas Tobin was a British merchant. He moved to Ballincollig in 1863 to become managing director of Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills...
of Providence and Edward Burns
Edward Burns
Edward Fitzgerald Burns is an American actor, film producer, writer and director.-Early life:Burns was born in Woodside, Queens, New York, the son of Molly , a federal agency manager, and Edward J. Burns, a public relations spokesman and police officer. He was raised a Roman Catholic...
of Juneau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the southeastern part of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the...
.
He was consecrated a bishop and installed on 1 December 2009 at Saint Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral (Gaylord, Michigan)
St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, also known simply as St. Mary’s Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral located in Gaylord, Michigan, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Gaylord.-History:...
in Gaylord.
External links
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan
- Bishop Bernard Anthony Hebda from Catholic Hierarchy.org