Ernest Leo Unterkoefler
Encyclopedia
Ernest Leo Unterkoefler was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Charleston
from 1964 to 1990.
, to Ernest L. and Anna Rose (née Chambers) Unterkoefler. An avid baseball
fan, he once considered a professional career in the sport before studying for the priesthood
; he later said, "If I couldn't be bishop of Charleston
, I'd love to be commissioner of baseball." He graduated summa cum laude
in pre-law
from the Catholic University of America
in 1940. He also earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology
(1944) and Doctor of Canon Law
(1950).
On May 18, 1944, Unterkoefler was ordained
a priest for the Diocese of Richmond
, Virginia
. He then served as a curate
in Richmond
until 1947, when he was transferred to Arlington
. He returned to Richmond in 1950, and became secretary of the diocesan tribunal in 1954. He also served as chancellor
(1960-1964) and vicar general
(1962-1964). He was named a papal chamberlain
in 1961.
On December 13, 1961, Unterkoefler was appointed auxiliary bishop
of Richmond and titular bishop
of Latopolis by Pope John XXIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on February 22, 1962 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi
, with Bishops Vincent Stanislaus Waters
and Joseph Howard Hodges
serving as co-consecrators
. He adopted as his episcopal motto
: Deo Placere (Latin
: "To Please God"). Between 1962 and 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
, where he served as secretary of the American delegation of bishops.
Following the transfer of Bishop Francis Frederick Reh
, Unterkoefler was named the tenth Bishop of Charleston
, South Carolina
, on December 12, 1964. An active participant in the civil rights movement, he worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and ended racial segregation
in all Catholic institutions in the Diocese of Charleston. He served as chairman of the U.S. Bishops
' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs from 1978 to 1981. In 1987, he hosted Pope John Paul II
during his visit to Columbia
.
He was also a prominent advocate for restoring the permanent diaconate
in the United States, and ordained Joseph Kemper in 1971 as the first permanent deacon in the nation. In a 1985 interview, he said that his greatest satisfaction was in ordaining new priests, but also expressed his concern that a materialistic culture was making it more difficult to attract young men to the priesthood. "We can't go out and recruit them with high salaries," he said. "We must wait for the Lord to call them."
After twenty-six years in Charleston, Unterkoefler resigned as bishop on February 22, 1990. He later died at Providence Hospital in Columbia, aged 75.
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 Bishop of Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
from 1964 to 1990.
Biography
Ernest Unterkoefler was born in Philadelphia, 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...
, to Ernest L. and Anna Rose (née Chambers) Unterkoefler. An avid baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
fan, he once considered a professional career in the sport before studying for 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....
; he later said, "If I couldn't be bishop of Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
, I'd love to be commissioner of baseball." He graduated summa cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
in pre-law
Pre-law
In the United States, pre-law refers to any course of study taken by an undergraduate in preparation for study at a law school.The American Bar Association requires law schools that it approves to require at least a bachelor's degree for North American students for admission...
from the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in 1940. He also earned a 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,...
(1944) and Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
(1950).
On May 18, 1944, Unterkoefler 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....
a priest for the Diocese of Richmond
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the eastern shore...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He then served as 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...
in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
until 1947, when he was transferred to Arlington
Arlington, Northampton County, Virginia
Arlington is an unincorporated community in Northampton County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
. He returned to Richmond in 1950, and became secretary of the diocesan tribunal in 1954. He also served as 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....
(1960-1964) and 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...
(1962-1964). He was named a papal chamberlain
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"...
in 1961.
On December 13, 1961, Unterkoefler 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 Richmond 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 Latopolis by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. He received his episcopal
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 February 22, 1962 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi
Egidio Vagnozzi
Edigio Vagnozzi was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as the second president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1968 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.-Biography:Egidio Vagnozzi was born in Rome to Francesco and Pasqua ...
, with Bishops Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh from 1945 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
and Joseph Howard Hodges
Joseph Howard Hodges
Joseph Howard Hodges was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston from 1962 until his death in 1985.-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 adopted 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...
: Deo Placere (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...
: "To Please God"). Between 1962 and 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, where he served as secretary of the American delegation of bishops.
Following the transfer of Bishop Francis Frederick Reh
Francis Frederick Reh
Francis Frederick Reh was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Charleston , rector of the Pontifical North American College , and Bishop of Saginaw ....
, Unterkoefler was named the tenth Bishop of Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, on December 12, 1964. An active participant in the civil rights movement, he worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
and ended racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
in all Catholic institutions in the Diocese of Charleston. He served as chairman of the U.S. 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...
' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs from 1978 to 1981. In 1987, he hosted 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 ...
during his visit to Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
.
He was also a prominent advocate for restoring the permanent diaconate
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in the United States, and ordained Joseph Kemper in 1971 as the first permanent deacon in the nation. In a 1985 interview, he said that his greatest satisfaction was in ordaining new priests, but also expressed his concern that a materialistic culture was making it more difficult to attract young men to the priesthood. "We can't go out and recruit them with high salaries," he said. "We must wait for the Lord to call them."
After twenty-six years in Charleston, Unterkoefler resigned as bishop on February 22, 1990. He later died at Providence Hospital in Columbia, aged 75.