Paul Vincent Dudley
Encyclopedia
Paul Vincent Dudley was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Sioux Falls
from 1978 to 1995.
, Minnesota
, the tenth child of Edward Austin and Margaret Ann (née Nolan) Dudley. He studied at Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary and St. Paul Seminary
in St. Paul
before being ordained
to the priesthood
on June 2, 1951. He then served as a curate
at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis
until 1964, when he was transferred to St. Patrick Church in St. Paul. He became the founding pastor
of St. Edward Church at Bloomington
in 1967, and pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church at Mound
in 1972.
On November 9, 1976, Dudley was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of St. Paul and Minneapolis
and Titular Bishop
of Ursona by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on January 25, 1977 from Archbishop John Roach, with Archbishop Leo Binz
and Bishop James Richard Ham
, M.M.
, serving as co-consecrators
, at the Basilica of St. Mary. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of St. James Church at St. Paul from 1977 to 1978. Following the resignation of Bishop Lambert Anthony Hoch
, Dudley was named the sixth Bishop of Sioux Falls
, South Dakota
, by Pope John Paul II
on November 6, 1978. He was the first U.S. appointment of John Paul II, who had been elected the previous October. Dudley was later installed
on December 13, 1978.
During his tenure, Dudley developed several ecumenical
ministries serving the poor, and fostered many retreat and spiritual renewal programs. He was active in such pro-life
organizations as Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Total Life Care, and Prolife Across America. He also served as episcopal moderator for Worldwide Marriage Encounter and for Teens Encounter Christ. He became a beloved figure among Catholics in the diocese, and was described as "a holy man" and "a true shepherd." After sixteen years as bishop, Dudley resigned on March 21, 1995. He retired to the family farm in Northfield, and there served as pastor of St. Dominic Church (1995-1997).
In 1999 Dudley was accused of sexually abusing two women in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence. In 2002 he was again accused of molesting an 11- or 12-year-old altar boy
on four different occasions during the 1950s. Following this accusation, he declared, "I totally deny these allegations. They are brutally unfounded." He also decided to withdraw from "any priestly ministry" pending the conclusion of an investigation "due to the great publicity given to priests and bishops accused of sexual abuse." An independent investigator hired by the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese later cleared the complaints against Dudley. He stated, "While living under the cloud of these accusations has been one of the greatest challenges of my life, I never lost faith and confidence that the truth would prevail."
Dudley was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by St. Paul Seminary in 2006. He died later that year from lung
disease at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, aged 79. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Northfield.
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...
. He served as Bishop of Sioux Falls
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls is a Roman Catholic diocese in the U.S. state of South Dakota. It was founded on November 12, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII and comprises that part of South Dakota east of the Missouri River. The architect for the St...
from 1978 to 1995.
Biography
Paul Dudley was born in NorthfieldNorthfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, the tenth child of Edward Austin and Margaret Ann (née Nolan) Dudley. He studied at Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary and St. Paul Seminary
Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was founded by Archbishop John Ireland in 1894, to provide ordained priests for the ever-increasing Catholic population of the Upper Midwest. The seminary now sits on the south campus of the University of St. Thomas,...
in St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
before being 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 June 2, 1951. 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...
at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
until 1964, when he was transferred to St. Patrick Church in St. Paul. He became the founding 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 St. Edward Church at Bloomington
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
in 1967, and pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church at Mound
Mound, Minnesota
Mound is a settlement in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. ZIP code: 55364. The population was 9,052 at the 2010 census. Mound is the birthplace of the Tonka truck, named after Lake Minnetonka. Mound is also the birthplace of actor Kevin Sorbo, who portrayed Hercules on the television...
in 1972.
On November 9, 1976, Dudley 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 St. Paul and Minneapolis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by the prelature of an archbishop which administers the archdiocese from the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis...
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 Ursona 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 January 25, 1977 from Archbishop John Roach, with Archbishop Leo Binz
Leo Binz
-External links:*...
and Bishop James Richard Ham
James Richard Ham
James Richard Ham was a Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of Putia in Numidia and auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota....
, M.M.
Maryknoll
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States...
, 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 the Basilica of St. Mary. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of St. James Church at St. Paul from 1977 to 1978. Following the resignation of Bishop Lambert Anthony Hoch
Lambert Anthony Hoch
Lambert Anthony Hoch was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Bismarck and Bishop of Sioux Falls .-Biography:...
, Dudley was named the sixth Bishop of Sioux Falls
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls is a Roman Catholic diocese in the U.S. state of South Dakota. It was founded on November 12, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII and comprises that part of South Dakota east of the Missouri River. The architect for the St...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, 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 ...
on November 6, 1978. He was the first U.S. appointment of John Paul II, who had been elected the previous October. Dudley was later installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
on December 13, 1978.
During his tenure, Dudley developed several ecumenical
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
ministries serving the poor, and fostered many retreat and spiritual renewal programs. He was active in such pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
organizations as Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Total Life Care, and Prolife Across America. He also served as episcopal moderator for Worldwide Marriage Encounter and for Teens Encounter Christ. He became a beloved figure among Catholics in the diocese, and was described as "a holy man" and "a true shepherd." After sixteen years as bishop, Dudley resigned on March 21, 1995. He retired to the family farm in Northfield, and there served as pastor of St. Dominic Church (1995-1997).
In 1999 Dudley was accused of sexually abusing two women in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence. In 2002 he was again accused of molesting an 11- or 12-year-old altar boy
Altar server
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
on four different occasions during the 1950s. Following this accusation, he declared, "I totally deny these allegations. They are brutally unfounded." He also decided to withdraw from "any priestly ministry" pending the conclusion of an investigation "due to the great publicity given to priests and bishops accused of sexual abuse." An independent investigator hired by the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese later cleared the complaints against Dudley. He stated, "While living under the cloud of these accusations has been one of the greatest challenges of my life, I never lost faith and confidence that the truth would prevail."
Dudley was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by St. Paul Seminary in 2006. He died later that year from lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
disease at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, aged 79. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Northfield.