Paul Francis Leibold
Encyclopedia
Paul Francis Leibold was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Evansville
(1966-1969) and Archbishop of Cincinnati
(1969-1972).
, Ohio
, to Frank and Philomena (née Kirchner) Leibold. After graduating from Chaminade High School
, he earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Dayton
in 1936. He continued his studies at St. Gregory Seminary and at Mount St. Mary's Seminary
.
He was ordained a priest in Cincinnati, May 18, 1940. Early assignments within the diocese were pastor of St. Louis Church in Cincinnati, and assistant chancellor and chancellor for the archdiocese of Cincinnati. On April 10, 1958 he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati. He was consecrated bishop June 17, 1958 and at the same time he was made titular bishop
of Trebenna. Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Karl Joseph Alter.
Possibly the most historical event of his career happened as a result of his acting as spiritual director for a young nun living in Ohio and Indiana. In 1963, as Monsignor Leibold, he issued an imprimatur
to a diary of private revelations written by Sr. Mildred Ephrem Neuzil while she was serving at a convent (Kneipp Springs) in Rome City, IN. It was here that she claimed she was visited multiple times by the Virgin Mary who declared herself to be "Our Lady of America
" and gave her important messages to be given to America's Bishops..
After issuing his imprimatur to the messages written down by Sr. Neuzil, later on, as Archbishop of Cincinnati, he went on to commission a statue, plaques, and even a medal to take these apparitions to the second level of Church confirmation.
If the third, and final, approval is made by the Conference of American Bishops, it would be the only confirmation of an apparition in all of the United States by the Catholic Church. This would put this event on an equal basis with the events at Fatima, Portugal and Lourdes, France.
On April 4, 1966 Paul Francis Leibold was appointed Bishop of Evansville, Indiana
, and installed as Bishop of the diocese June 15, 1966. Bishop Paul Francis Leibold was appointed to Cincinnati July 23, 1969 following the retirement of Archbishop Alter at the same time. Upon installation as Archbishop, Paul Francis Leibold became seventh Bishop and sixth Archbishop of Cincinnati.
He served the Archdiocese until his untimely death on June 1, 1972. He is buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
parochial school was named for Bishop Leibold.
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 Evansville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville is a Roman Catholic diocese in Southwestern Indiana. It was founded on October 21, 1944.The diocese includes the entirety of the eleven southwestern Indiana counties of Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Pike, Posey, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, and...
(1966-1969) and 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...
(1969-1972).
Biography
Paul Leibold 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...
, to Frank and Philomena (née Kirchner) Leibold. After graduating from Chaminade High School
Chaminade-Julienne High School
Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School is a private, co-educational, center-city, Catholic high school located in downtown Dayton, Ohio, operated by the Society of Mary and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It is named after Blessed William Joseph Chaminade and St...
, he earned 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 from the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
in 1936. He continued his studies at St. Gregory Seminary and at Mount St. Mary's Seminary
Athenaeum of Ohio
The Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, originally St. Francis Xavier Seminary, is the third-oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is currently located at 6616 Beechmont Avenue in the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood of Mt. Washington, in the former Saint...
.
He was ordained a priest in Cincinnati, May 18, 1940. Early assignments within the diocese were pastor of St. Louis Church in Cincinnati, and assistant chancellor and chancellor for the archdiocese of Cincinnati. On April 10, 1958 he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati. He was consecrated bishop June 17, 1958 and at the same time he was made 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 Trebenna. Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Karl Joseph Alter.
Possibly the most historical event of his career happened as a result of his acting as spiritual director for a young nun living in Ohio and Indiana. In 1963, as Monsignor Leibold, he issued an imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
to a diary of private revelations written by Sr. Mildred Ephrem Neuzil while she was serving at a convent (Kneipp Springs) in Rome City, IN. It was here that she claimed she was visited multiple times by the Virgin Mary who declared herself to be "Our Lady of America
Our Lady of America
Our Lady of America is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on private revelations reported by Sister Mary Mildred Neuzil of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. Devotion to Our Lady of America was approved and promoted by Paul Francis Leibold, Archbishop of...
" and gave her important messages to be given to America's Bishops..
After issuing his imprimatur to the messages written down by Sr. Neuzil, later on, as Archbishop of Cincinnati, he went on to commission a statue, plaques, and even a medal to take these apparitions to the second level of Church confirmation.
If the third, and final, approval is made by the Conference of American Bishops, it would be the only confirmation of an apparition in all of the United States by the Catholic Church. This would put this event on an equal basis with the events at Fatima, Portugal and Lourdes, France.
On April 4, 1966 Paul Francis Leibold was appointed Bishop of Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, and installed as Bishop of the diocese June 15, 1966. Bishop Paul Francis Leibold was appointed to Cincinnati July 23, 1969 following the retirement of Archbishop Alter at the same time. Upon installation as Archbishop, Paul Francis Leibold became seventh Bishop and sixth Archbishop of Cincinnati.
He served the Archdiocese until his untimely death on June 1, 1972. He is buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati 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...
.
Tributes
Bishop Leibold School, a Miamisburg, OhioMiamisburg, Ohio
Miamisburg is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,181 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
parochial school was named for Bishop Leibold.
External links
- Succession of Archbishop Paul Francis Leibold
- Bishop Leibold School Official Website