Robert Louis Whelan, 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 16, 1912 - September 15, 2001) 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...

 in the state of Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

 from 1969-85.

Biography

Born in Wallace, Idaho

Wallace, Idaho

Wallace is a historic city in the Panhandle region of the U.S. state of Idaho and the county seat of Shoshone County in the Silver Valley mining district...

, Whelan 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 17, 1944. On December 6, 1967 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...

 Paul VI named him 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 Sicilibba and 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 February 22, 1968 by Archbishop Luigi Raimondi

Luigi Raimondi

Luigi Raimondi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 1973 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1973....

, Apostolic Delegate to the United States

United States

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

. The co-consecrators were Archbishop John Joseph Thomas Ryan

John Joseph Thomas Ryan

John Joseph Thomas Ryan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop for the Military Services from 1985 to 1991, having previously served as Archbishop of Anchorage from 1966 to 1975....

 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 Francis Doyle Gleeson

Francis Doyle Gleeson

Francis Doyle Gleeson, S.J. was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Fairbanks from 1962 to 1968, previously serving as Vicar Apostolic of Alaska .-Biography:...

, SJ of Fairbanks. He succeeded to the See of Fairbanks on November 15, 1968 when Bishop Gleeson resigned as the diocesan bishop, and was installed on February 13, 1969. He served the diocese for a total of 17 years. He requested a coadjutor bishop and on March 8, 1984 Pope John Paul II named Michael Joseph Kaniecki

Michael Joseph Kaniecki

Michael Joseph Kaniecki, SJ was a 20th century bishop in the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks from 1985-2000.-Biography:...

, SJ coadjutor. His resignation as Bishop of Fairbanks was accepted by the pope on June 1, 1985.