Michael Joseph Bransfield
Encyclopedia
Michael Joseph Bransfield (born September 8, 1943) is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
who currently serves as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston
.
. He attended St. Bridget’s Grade School, St. John the Baptist High School and Roman Catholic High School for Boys
.
From St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood
he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
in Philosophy
and Master's degree in Divinity
. Bransfield was ordained
to the priesthood
by Cardinal John Krol on May 15, 1971, and then did pastoral
work in Huntington Valley until 1973. He earned his Master's in Philosophy
from The Catholic University of America
, Washington, D.C.
, in 1973, and then worked as a teacher
, chaplain
, and Chairman
of the Religion
Department
at Lansdale Catholic High School
.
Father Bransfield was named Assistant Director and Director of Liturgy
(1980), Director of Finance
(1982), and Rector (1986) at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
. In 1987 he was raised to the rank of a Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
.
On December 9, 2004, Bransfield was appointed the eighth Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston
, West Virginia
, by Pope John Paul II
. He received episcopal consecration
on February 22, 2005 from Cardinal William Henry Keeler
, with Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick and Bishop Bernard William Schmitt
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Joseph's Cathedral
.
A trustee
and current president of The Papal Foundation, Bishop Bransfield also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Distance University
, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. He holds membership in the Knights of Columbus
and the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre
. Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
, he serves as treasurer and sits on the Communications Committee and the National Collections Committee.
Bransfield has also drawn the ire of some of the Wheeling community for living in what some have characterized as an obscenely posh mansion while decrying the church's ability to fund a restoration of the historic Mount De Chantall building. Bransfield has also spent upwards of $25,000 securing himself a nominal position on the with the college of cardinals. Some in the community have come to see this as hypocritical and contrary to the mission of the Catholic church in the Ohio Valley.
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...
who currently serves as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate...
.
Biography
Michael Bransfield 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...
. He attended St. Bridget’s Grade School, St. John the Baptist High School and Roman Catholic High School for Boys
Roman Catholic High School for Boys
The Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia opened in 1890 as an all-male high school located at the intersection of Broad and Vine Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:...
.
From St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood
Wynnewood
Wynnewood may mean:* Wynnewood * Wynnewood, Oklahoma* Wynnewood, Pennsylvania* Wynnewood , the largest existent log structure in Tennessee...
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...
in 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...
and Master's degree 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...
. Bransfield 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 Cardinal John Krol on May 15, 1971, and then did pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work in Huntington Valley until 1973. He earned his Master's in Philosophy
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
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...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in 1973, and then worked as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, 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 Religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
Department
Academic department
An academic department is a division of a university or school faculty devoted to a particular academic discipline. This article covers United States usage at the university level....
at Lansdale Catholic High School
Lansdale Catholic High School
Lansdale Catholic High School is a secondary school that is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is located in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:...
.
Father Bransfield was named Assistant Director and Director of Liturgy
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
(1980), 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...
(1982), and Rector (1986) at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a prominent Latin Rite Catholic basilica located in Washington, D.C., honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the United States...
. In 1987 he was raised to the rank of a Honorary Prelate 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"...
.
On December 9, 2004, Bransfield was appointed the eighth Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, 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 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 February 22, 2005 from Cardinal William Henry Keeler
William Henry Keeler
William Henry Keeler is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994....
, with Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick and Bishop Bernard William Schmitt
Bernard William Schmitt
Bernard William Schmitt was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston from March 29, 1989 to December 9, 2004. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Schmitt was ordained to the priesthood on March 28, 1955 for the Wheeling Diocese...
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...
, at St. Joseph's Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Joseph of Wheeling
The Cathedral of Saint Joseph of Wheeling or Saint Joseph's Cathedral is the seat of the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. In addition to being the seat of the bishop, the cathedral is home to the oldest congregation in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia.-History:The...
.
A trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
and current president of The Papal Foundation, Bishop Bransfield also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Distance University
Catholic Distance University
Catholic Distance University , located in Hamilton, Virginia, is a private undergraduate and graduate institution that is "in the vanguard of Catholic distance learning." Established in 1983 in the Arlington diocese by Bishop Welsh, CDU offers an accredited bachelor degree in theology completion...
, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. He holds membership in the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
and the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
. 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 serves as treasurer and sits on the Communications Committee and the National Collections Committee.
Bransfield has also drawn the ire of some of the Wheeling community for living in what some have characterized as an obscenely posh mansion while decrying the church's ability to fund a restoration of the historic Mount De Chantall building. Bransfield has also spent upwards of $25,000 securing himself a nominal position on the with the college of cardinals. Some in the community have come to see this as hypocritical and contrary to the mission of the Catholic church in the Ohio Valley.