Carl K. Moeddel
Encyclopedia
Carl Kevin Moeddel was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
from 1993 to 2007.
, Ohio
, to Carl H. and Florence E. (née Pohlking) Moeddel. He studied at the Athenaeum of Ohio
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree; and was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Karl Alter on August 15, 1962. He later earned a Master's in Divinity
from the Athenaeum.
In 1963, he became assistant pastor
of St. Louis Church, as well as Assistant Chancellor
and Assistant Treasurer
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
. In addition to these duties, he was named Executive Secretary of the Archdiocesan Commission on Ecumenical
and Interfaith
Relations (1970), Director of the Continuing Education of Priests (1971), Vicar
of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (1973), and Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese (1975). He was President
of the Ohio Council of Churches in 1973.
From 1976 to 1985, Moeddel served as pastor
of St. Peter in Chains Cathedral
. During this period, he was also Dean
of the Cathedral
Deanery (1976–1983), Archdiocesan Director of Finance
(1978–1983), Vicar for Finance and Chairman
of the Archdiocesan Financial Council (1983–1986). He was named pastor of St. James of the Valley Church in 1985.
On June 15, 1993, Moeddel was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Cincinnati and Titular Bishop
of Bistue by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following August 24 from Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk
, with Archbishop Edward McCarthy
and Bishop James Garland
serving as co-consecrators
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Be Reconciled."
As an auxiliary bishop, he served as vicar general
of the Archdiocese and director of the Pastoral Services Department and Priest Personnel Office. He resigned his post for health reasons on June 20, 2007, having been diagnosed with vascular dementia
connected with previous stroke
s and diabetes.
He died after a long illness in Cincinnati, aged 71.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as an 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 Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
from 1993 to 2007.
Biography
Carl Moeddel was born in CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to Carl H. and Florence E. (née Pohlking) Moeddel. He studied at the Athenaeum of Ohio
Athenaeum of Ohio
The Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, originally St. Francis Xavier Seminary, is the third-oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is currently located at 6616 Beechmont Avenue in the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood of Mt. Washington, in the former Saint...
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree; and was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Archbishop Karl Alter on August 15, 1962. He later earned a Master's in Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from the Athenaeum.
In 1963, he became assistant pastor
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St. Louis Church, as well as Assistant Chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
and Assistant Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
. In addition to these duties, he was named Executive Secretary of the Archdiocesan Commission on Ecumenical
Catholic Church and ecumenism
The Catholic Church has been heavily involved in the ecumenical movement since the Second Vatican Council .- Before the Second Vatican Council :...
and Interfaith
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
Relations (1970), Director of the Continuing Education of Priests (1971), Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (1973), and Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese (1975). He was President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Ohio Council of Churches in 1973.
From 1976 to 1985, Moeddel served as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Peter in Chains Cathedral
Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral
Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is a Greek revival structure located at 8th and Plum Streets in downtown Cincinnati...
. During this period, he was also Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
Deanery (1976–1983), Archdiocesan Director of Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
(1978–1983), Vicar for Finance and Chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Archdiocesan Financial Council (1983–1986). He was named pastor of St. James of the Valley Church in 1985.
On June 15, 1993, Moeddel was appointed 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 Cincinnati and 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 Bistue by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following August 24 from Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk
Daniel Edward Pilarczyk
Daniel Edward Pilarczyk is an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1982 to 2009.-Early life and education:...
, with Archbishop Edward McCarthy
Edward A. McCarthy
Edward Anthony McCarthy , was the second Archbishop of Miami, Florida. He was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Miami on September 17, 1976 and succeeded Coleman Francis Carroll as Archbishop of Miami on July 26, 1977. Archbishop McCarthy retired as Archbishop on November 3, 1994...
and Bishop James Garland
James Henry Garland
James Henry Garland is a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in the state of Michigan from 1992–2005.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Be Reconciled."
As an auxiliary bishop, he served as vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Archdiocese and director of the Pastoral Services Department and Priest Personnel Office. He resigned his post for health reasons on June 20, 2007, having been diagnosed with vascular dementia
Multi-infarct dementia
Multi-infarct dementia is one type of vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease in older adults. Multi-infarct dementia is thought to be an irreversible form of dementia, and its onset is caused by a number of small strokes or...
connected with previous stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
s and diabetes.
He died after a long illness in Cincinnati, aged 71.