Daniel Edward Pilarczyk
Encyclopedia
Daniel Edward Pilarczyk (born August 12, 1934) is an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati
from 1982 to 2009.
, Ohio
, the only child of Daniel Joseph and Frieda (Hilgefort) Pilarczyk. After receiving his early education at Our Lady of Mercy and St. Anthony parochial schools, he attended Sacred Heart Latin School. At the age of fourteen, he entered St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati. In 1953, he was sent to continue his studies at the Urban College of Propaganda
in Rome
, from where he obtained a Licentiate
of Philosophy
(1956) and Licentiate of Sacred Theology
(1960). His mother died in 1955, and his father remarried a Marie Scothorn.
to the priesthood
by Cardinal Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian on December 20, 1959. He remained in Rome for his postgraduate studies, and earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology
from the Urban College in 1961. Upon his return to the United States, he became assistant chancellor
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
and a curate
at St. Louis Church. He then taught Latin
and Greek
at his alma mater
of St. Gregory Seminary from 1963 to 1974. During this time, he received a Master's degree
from Xavier University
in 1965. He became rector
of St. Gregory Seminary in 1968; at the age of thirty-four, he was the youngest man to be named to that position. He later earned a Ph.D.
from the University of Cincinnati
in 1969.
of Cincinnati and Titular Bishop
of Hodelm by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcoapl
consecration
on the following December 20 from Archbishop Joseph Bernardin, with Archbishop Nicholas Elko
and Bishop James W. Malone serving as co-consecrators
. Between 1974 and 1982, he served as director of Archdiocesan Educational Services and chairman of the Archdiocesan Commission on Education. He also served as chairman of the Governing Board of St. Rita School for the Deaf from 1977 to 1982. He once said, "Education means development, growth. When God creates us, He doesn’t quite finish it. He lets us do some of the finishing touches. That's what education is. It's a wonderful gift. The ability to become educated...[is] a wonderful gift which sometimes people overlook or misuse."
Within the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
, he became a member of the Committee on Doctrine in 1976 and chairman of the Committee on Education in 1978.
Dennis Marion Schnurr
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
, Minnesota, was named by Pope Benedict XVI
as Archbishop Pilarczyk's coadjutor archbishop
. This means Schnurr served as the auxiliary bishop
and chief vicar general
to Pilarczyk, but unlike other auxiliary bishops that had served, he had the right as coadjutor to immediately succeed him as archbishop when Pilarczyk retired.
On August 12, 2009, Pilarczyk officially handed in his resignation on his 75th birthday, as mandated by the Vatican. It was formally accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on December 21, 2009 (the day after he celebrated both 50 years as a priest and 35 years as a bishop). He was immediately succeeded as Archbishop of Cincinnati by Coadjutor Archbishop Schnurr.
. In January 2006, his book entitled Being Catholic: How We Believe, Practice, And Think was published. Pilarczyk has written at least 12 books on the Catholic faith.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman 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 Archbishop 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 1982 to 2009.
Early life and education
Daniel Pilarczyk was born in DaytonDayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, 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...
, the only child of Daniel Joseph and Frieda (Hilgefort) Pilarczyk. After receiving his early education at Our Lady of Mercy and St. Anthony parochial schools, he attended Sacred Heart Latin School. At the age of fourteen, he entered St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati. In 1953, he was sent to continue his studies at the Urban College of Propaganda
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, from where he obtained 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...
of 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...
(1956) and Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...
(1960). His mother died in 1955, and his father remarried a Marie Scothorn.
Priesthood
Pilarczyk was ordainedHoly 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 Cardinal Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian on December 20, 1959. He remained in Rome for his postgraduate studies, and earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
from the Urban College in 1961. Upon his return to the United States, he became 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....
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...
and a curate
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...
at St. Louis Church. He then taught Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of St. Gregory Seminary from 1963 to 1974. During this time, he received a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Xavier University
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
in 1965. He became rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Gregory Seminary in 1968; at the age of thirty-four, he was the youngest man to be named to that position. He later earned a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
in 1969.
Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati
On November 12, 1974, Pilarczyk was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary 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 Hodelm by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. He received his episcoapl
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....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following December 20 from Archbishop Joseph Bernardin, with Archbishop Nicholas Elko
Nicholas Elko
Nicholas Thomas Elko was the third bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, the American branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church. At the age of 46 he became the first American-born Bishop of the Greek Catholic Church...
and Bishop James W. Malone 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...
. Between 1974 and 1982, he served as director of Archdiocesan Educational Services and chairman of the Archdiocesan Commission on Education. He also served as chairman of the Governing Board of St. Rita School for the Deaf from 1977 to 1982. He once said, "Education means development, growth. When God creates us, He doesn’t quite finish it. He lets us do some of the finishing touches. That's what education is. It's a wonderful gift. The ability to become educated...[is] a wonderful gift which sometimes people overlook or misuse."
Within 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...
, he became a member of the Committee on Doctrine in 1976 and chairman of the Committee on Education in 1978.
Archbishop of Cincinnati
He was appointed Archbishop of Cincinnati- succeeding the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin who had been named Archbishop of Chicago- on October 30, 1982. Archbishop Pilarczyk served as vice president (1986–1989) and president (1989–1992) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. In October 2008, BishopBishop
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...
Dennis Marion Schnurr
Dennis Marion Schnurr
Dennis Marion Schnurr is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Archbishop of Cincinnati, having previously served as Bishop of Duluth from 2001 to 2008 and as Coadjutor Archbishop of Cincinnati from 2008 to 2009.-Early life and ministry:Dennis Schnurr was born in...
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. The episcopal see is in Duluth, Minnesota. It was established on October 3, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese includes Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St...
, Minnesota, was named 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...
as Archbishop Pilarczyk's coadjutor archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
. This means Schnurr served as the 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...
and chief 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...
to Pilarczyk, but unlike other auxiliary bishops that had served, he had the right as coadjutor to immediately succeed him as archbishop when Pilarczyk retired.
On August 12, 2009, Pilarczyk officially handed in his resignation on his 75th birthday, as mandated by the Vatican. It was formally accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on December 21, 2009 (the day after he celebrated both 50 years as a priest and 35 years as a bishop). He was immediately succeeded as Archbishop of Cincinnati by Coadjutor Archbishop Schnurr.
Leadership and teaching
Archbishop Pilarczyk has continued his involvement in the Greater Cincinnati community, specifically with the growth of the Archdiocese in multiple counties. He has expressed a fondness for preaching and has worked to address many misconceptions regarding CatholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. In January 2006, his book entitled Being Catholic: How We Believe, Practice, And Think was published. Pilarczyk has written at least 12 books on the Catholic faith.
External links
- 12 Questions With Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk from Local 12 News, Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati 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...
. - "Cincinnati archdiocese convicted for failing to report sex abuse" from BNET Research Center