Robert Guglielmone
Encyclopedia
Robert Eric Guglielmone (born December 30, 1945) is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He is the thirteenth and current Bishop of Charleston
.
to Frank and Caroline Guglielmone. One of three children, he has two brothers, Nicholas and Tito. He was raised on Long Island
and attended St. John's University in Queens
, from where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Education
. He then taught at Patchogue-Medford High School for five years while also doing his graduate work
at New York University
.
, entered Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington
and earned a Master's in Divinity
before being ordained
on April 8, 1978. He then served as assistant pastor
at St. Martin of Tours Church in Amityville
and at St. James Church in Setauket
.
In 1986, he was named director of pastoral formation and dean
of seminarians
at Immaculate Conception Seminary. He became pastor
of St. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh
in 1993, and was raised to the rank of Monsignor
in 1996.
In 2003, after a grand jury
report on the handling of sexual abuse cases in the Diocese of Rockville Centre
sparked public outrage, Bishop William Murphy
named Guglielmone to be the diocesan
Director of Clergy
Personnel. He was later made rector
of St. Agnes Cathedral
in 2007.
. He started his Scouting career as camp chaplain
at Onteora Scout Reservation in Livingston Manor
, during his time as a seminarian. As a priest, he served as Scout chaplain for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, then for New York State and then as chaplain for the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. Guglielmone served an eight-year term as chaplain of the International Catholic Conference on Scouting and the Holy See
's global liaison to scouting programs. He received the Silver Beaver Award
from the then Nassau County Council (now known as the Theodore Roosevelt Council). Guglielmone is member the Order of the Arrow
, the Boy Scouts of America's honor society. There, he was inducted as a "Vigil Honor" member, the third and final degree of membership, in 1985. "Vigil Honor" members traditionally receive a name in the Unami language
, referred to in the Order as "Lenni Lenape." Guglielmone's "Vigil Name" is "Nekama Auwen Allohumasin Lilenowag An Unt," which was interpreted as "He Who Exemplifies God's Law." He received the Silver Antelope Award
from the Boy Scouts of America
in 2004. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting recognized Guglielmone with its "Brother Barnabas Founders Award" and in its first class of "Silver Saint George Emblem" recipients in 1998.
On January 24, 2009, Guglielmone was appointed the thirteenth Bishop of Charleston
, South Carolina
, by Pope Benedict XVI
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following March 25 from Cardinal Edward Egan, with Bishops Murphy and Robert Joseph Baker
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
.
As bishop of the diocese he has the role of shepherding the State's 185,000 Catholics. The appointment fills the vacancy left by Bishop Robert Baker
, who was transferred to the diocese of Birmingham in August 2007. The state's registered Catholic population more than doubled since 1990. Coupled with mass Hispanic immigration, much of it undocumented, has swelled the numbers even further.
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 is the thirteenth and current Bishop of Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
.
Early life and education
Robert Guglielmone was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Frank and Caroline Guglielmone. One of three children, he has two brothers, Nicholas and Tito. He was raised on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and attended St. John's University in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, from where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
. He then taught at Patchogue-Medford High School for five years while also doing his graduate work
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Priesthood
Guglielmone, feeling a call to the priesthoodPriesthood (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....
, entered Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
and earned a Master's 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...
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....
on April 8, 1978. He then served as assistant pastor
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. Martin of Tours Church in Amityville
Amityville, New York
Amityville is a village in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,441 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and at St. James Church in Setauket
Setauket-East Setauket, New York
Setauket-East Setauket is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island along the "Gold Coast." As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 15,931. It is one of the most affluent communities in the state and is among the wealthiest towns...
.
In 1986, he was named director of pastoral formation and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of seminarians
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
at Immaculate Conception Seminary. He became 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. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh
Wantagh, New York
Wantagh is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States...
in 1993, and was raised to the rank of Monsignor
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"...
in 1996.
In 2003, after a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
report on the handling of sexual abuse cases in the Diocese of Rockville Centre
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre comprises the territory of Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state, USA. Founded in 1957, this diocese was created from territory that once belonged to the Diocese of Brooklyn...
sparked public outrage, Bishop William Murphy
William Murphy (Bishop)
The Most Reverend William Francis Murphy, D.D., S.T.D. is the fourth and current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York, serving in this capacity since 2001. He was appointed bishop July 26, 2001, and installed September 5, 2001.Murphy is also a member of...
named Guglielmone to be the diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
Director of Clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
Personnel. He was later made rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Agnes Cathedral
St. Agnes Cathedral
St. Agnes Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York, on Long Island. It is the seat of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The Most Reverend William Murphy is the ordinary bishop of the Diocese and pastor of the Cathedral parish....
in 2007.
Scouting involvement
Guglielmone is known for his substantial involvement in ScoutingScouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
. He started his Scouting career as camp 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...
at Onteora Scout Reservation in Livingston Manor
Livingston Manor, New York
Livingston Manor is a hamlet in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2000 census.Livingston Manor is in the south part of the Town of Rockland, adjacent to New York State Route 17.-History:...
, during his time as a seminarian. As a priest, he served as Scout chaplain for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, then for New York State and then as chaplain for the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. Guglielmone served an eight-year term as chaplain of the International Catholic Conference on Scouting and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
's global liaison to scouting programs. He received the Silver Beaver Award
Silver Beaver Award
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council...
from the then Nassau County Council (now known as the Theodore Roosevelt Council). Guglielmone is member the Order of the Arrow
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America . It uses American Indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. The society was created by E. Urner Goodman, with the...
, the Boy Scouts of America's honor society. There, he was inducted as a "Vigil Honor" member, the third and final degree of membership, in 1985. "Vigil Honor" members traditionally receive a name in the Unami language
Unami language
Unami is an extinct Algonquian language formerly spoken by Lenape people in what is now the lower Hudson Valley area and New York Harbor area, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, but later in Ontario and Oklahoma. It is one of the two Delaware languages, the other being Munsee...
, referred to in the Order as "Lenni Lenape." Guglielmone's "Vigil Name" is "Nekama Auwen Allohumasin Lilenowag An Unt," which was interpreted as "He Who Exemplifies God's Law." He received the Silver Antelope Award
Silver Antelope Award
The Silver Antelope Award is the regional-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America and recognizes outstanding service to young people within one of the four regions of the BSA...
from the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
in 2004. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting recognized Guglielmone with its "Brother Barnabas Founders Award" and in its first class of "Silver Saint George Emblem" recipients in 1998.
Episcopal career
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
. He received his 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 the following March 25 from Cardinal Edward Egan, with Bishops Murphy and Robert Joseph Baker
Robert Joseph Baker
Robert J. Baker is an American Roman Catholic prelate who serves as the Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. He was appointed to this post by Pope Benedict XVI on August 14, 2007 and installed on October 2, 2007...
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 Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Charleston)
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, located in Charleston, South Carolina. The Most Reverend Robert E. Guglielmone, D.D., the thirteenth Bishop of Charleston, was ordained and installed on March 25, 2009.The first brownstone...
.
As bishop of the diocese he has the role of shepherding the State's 185,000 Catholics. The appointment fills the vacancy left by Bishop Robert Baker
Robert Joseph Baker
Robert J. Baker is an American Roman Catholic prelate who serves as the Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. He was appointed to this post by Pope Benedict XVI on August 14, 2007 and installed on October 2, 2007...
, who was transferred to the diocese of Birmingham in August 2007. The state's registered Catholic population more than doubled since 1990. Coupled with mass Hispanic immigration, much of it undocumented, has swelled the numbers even further.