Michael Joseph Kaniecki, SJ

Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 (April 13, 1935 - August 6, 2000) was a 20th century bishop

Bishop

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...

 in the 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...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks

Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the northern regions of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the...

 from 1985-2000.

Biography

Born in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

, Kaniecki had professed religious vows

Religious vows

Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...

 as a Jesuit, and was ordained a Catholic priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 on June 5, 1965. On March 8, 1984 Pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

 John Paul II named him to be the Coadjutor Bishop

Coadjutor bishop

A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...

 of Fairbanks. He was ordained a bishop on May 1, 1984 by Bishop Robert Louis Whelan

Robert Louis Whelan

Robert Louis Whelan, SJ was a 20th century bishop in the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks in the state of Alaska from 1969-85.-Biography:...

, SJ of Fairbanks. The co-consecrators were Archbishop Francis Thomas Hurley

Francis Thomas Hurley

Francis Thomas Hurley is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Anchorage from 1976 to 2001.-Biography:...

 of Anchorage

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising several boroughs and census areas in the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate archbishop which serves as pastor of the mother church,...

 and Bishop Michael Hughes Kenny

Michael Hughes Kenny

Michael Hughes Kenny, was a 20th century bishop in the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Juneau in the state of Alaska from 1979-1995.-Biography:...

 of Juneau

Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the southeastern part of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the...

. He succeeded to the See of Fairbanks on June 1, 1985 when Bishop Whelan resigned as the diocesan bishop, and was installed on July 28, 1985. He served the diocese for a total of 16 years. He died suddenly on August 6, 2000 of a massive heart attack before celebrating a Mass

Mass

Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...

 in the Eskimo

Eskimo

Eskimos or Inuit–Yupik peoples are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia , across Alaska , Canada, and Greenland....

 village of Emmonak, Alaska

Emmonak, Alaska

Emmonak is a city in Wade Hampton Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 767.-Geography:Emmonak is located at ....

.