Joseph Leopold Imesch
Encyclopedia
Joseph Leopold Imesch is an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Joliet from 1979 to 2006.
, Michigan
, to Dionys and Margaret (née Margelisch) Imesch. After attending Catholic elementary schools in Grosse Pointe
, he attended Sacred Heart Seminary High School and College
in Detroit, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1953. He then continued his studies at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
, earning a Licentiate of Sacred Theology
in 1957. While in Rome, he was ordained
to the priesthood
on December 16, 1956.
Following his return to Michigan, Imesch served as a curate
at St. Charles Church
in Detroit until 1959, when he became private secretary
to Cardinal John Francis Dearden. He then served as pastor
of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Farmington
from 1971 to 1977. On February 8, 1973, Imesch was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Detroit and Titular Bishop
of Pomaria by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following April 3 from Cardinal Dearden, with Bishops Walter Joseph Schoenherr and Thomas Gumbleton
serving as co-consecrators
. He continued to serve at Our Lady of Sorrows until becoming regional bishop
of the Northwest Region of the Detroit Archdiocese in 1977.
On June 30, 1979, Imesch was appointed the third Bishop of Joliet, Illinois
, by Pope John Paul II
. His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus on August 28, 1979. Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
, he served as chairman
of Committee on Women in Society and the Church (1982-1985), Committee Writing the Pastoral on the Concerns of Women (1983-1992), and Committee for Pastoral Practices (1995-1998), and a member of the Marriage and Family Life Committee (1994-1997), Committee for Stewardship (1995-2002), and Administrative Board (2001-2003). From 2001 to 2003, he was chairman of Region VII, which includes dioceses in Illinois, Indiana
, and Wisconsin
.
Shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Imesch resigned as Bishop of Joliet on May 16, 2006. He was succeeded by Bishop J. Peter Sartain.
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 Joliet from 1979 to 2006.
Biography
Joseph Imesch was born in Grosse Pointe FarmsGrosse Pointe Farms, Michigan
Grosse Pointe Farms is a suburban city bordering Detroit located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It ranks as the 76th highest-income city in America. The population was 9,479 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Grosse Pointe on the west, Detroit on the north, Grosse Pointe Woods...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, to Dionys and Margaret (née Margelisch) Imesch. After attending Catholic elementary schools in Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Grosse Pointe is a suburban city bordering Detroit in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city covers just over one square mile, and had a population of 5,421 at the 2010 census. It is bordered on the west by Grosse Pointe Park, on the north by Detroit, on the east by Grosse Pointe...
, he attended Sacred Heart Seminary High School and College
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a Catholic institution of higher learning associated with the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is located at 2701 West Chicago Boulevard, at the western edge of the Boston-Edison Historic District in Detroit, Michigan. In 2006-2007, 93 seminarians and over 400 lay...
in Detroit, where he received 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 in 1953. He then continued his studies 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...
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...
, earning 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,...
in 1957. While in Rome, he 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....
on December 16, 1956.
Following his return to Michigan, Imesch 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...
at St. Charles Church
St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church (Detroit, Michigan)
St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church is a church located at the corner of Baldwin Avenue and St. Paul Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The church address is 1515 Baldwin Street; ancillary buildings are located at 1491 Baldwin Street and 1480 Townsend Street...
in Detroit until 1959, when he became private secretary
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Cardinal John Francis Dearden. He then 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 Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Farmington
Farmington, Michigan
Farmington is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia to the...
from 1971 to 1977. On February 8, 1973, Imesch 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 Detroit 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 Pomaria 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 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 the following April 3 from Cardinal Dearden, with Bishops Walter Joseph Schoenherr and Thomas Gumbleton
Thomas Gumbleton
Thomas John Gumbleton is a retired Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit.-Education and career:...
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 continued to serve at Our Lady of Sorrows until becoming regional bishop
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 Northwest Region of the Detroit Archdiocese in 1977.
On June 30, 1979, Imesch was appointed the third Bishop of Joliet, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, 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 ...
. His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus on August 28, 1979. Within the United States 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 served as 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 Committee on Women in Society and the Church (1982-1985), Committee Writing the Pastoral on the Concerns of Women (1983-1992), and Committee for Pastoral Practices (1995-1998), and a member of the Marriage and Family Life Committee (1994-1997), Committee for Stewardship (1995-2002), and Administrative Board (2001-2003). From 2001 to 2003, he was chairman of Region VII, which includes dioceses in Illinois, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Imesch resigned as Bishop of Joliet on May 16, 2006. He was succeeded by Bishop J. Peter Sartain.