Roger Kaffer
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1985 until 2002.
Kaffer was born on August 14, 1927, to parents, Earl Louis Kaffer and Helen Ruth (nee
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
McManus) Kaffer, in Joliet, Illinois
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
. He was baptized in St. Raymond Parish in Joilet, and also attended the parish's Catholic elementary school. He graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1945.
Kaffer enrolled in Quigley Preparatory Seminary following his graduation from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, before transferring to St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 31,064.-History:The community now known as Mundelein has been inhabited since at least 1650, when the Potowatami Indians were known to have been trading with French fur traders....
. He was formally ordained as a Roman Catholic priest on May 1, 1954, by then Bishop Martin D. McNamara at the Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus in Joilet. His first assignment as a priest was to the St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Joilet as an associate 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"....
. He continued to work as a notary
Notary
A notary is a lawyer or person with legal training who is licensed by the state to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents...
at that parish until 1956.
Kaffer was appointed the assistant chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the Diocese of Joliet in 1958. In 1965, he completed his M.Ed. at DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
. Soon after completing his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, Kaffer was appointed the first 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 the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Named for Charles Borromeo, it is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,...
in Romeoville, Illinois. He also served on the seminary's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
from 1968 to 1974.
In 1984, Kaffer obtained his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in pastoral ministry from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, now known as the University of Saint Mary of the Lake
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
University of Saint Mary of the Lake, also called Mundelein Seminary, is the principal seminary and school of theology for the formation of priests in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, governed from Chicago, Illinois in the United States. It is recognized as the first institution of higher...
.
Kaffer was named temporary administrator of the Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus in January 1985. He was named a full rector of the Cathedral just one month later, in February 1985. Kaffer was also formally named the 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 the Diocese of Dusa
Dusa
Dusa is an extinct genus of prawn, in the order Decapoda, containing five species....
, which is located in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, in 1985.
Auxiliary bishop of Joilet
1985 proved to be an eventful year for Kaffer. Later that year, was named the auxiliary bishopAuxiliary 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 Joliet. He was ordained by then Bishop Joseph Leopold Imesch
Joseph Leopold Imesch
Joseph Leopold Imesch is an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Joliet from 1979 to 2006.-Biography:...
on June 26, 1985, at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus. He held the position of vicar general and vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for priests in the Joilet diocese until 2002. Additionally, Kaffer served as the chairman of the Second Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Joliet from 1986 until 1989. He retired as auxiliary bishop in 2002, remaining auxiliary bishop emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
thereafter.
Kaffer was appointed secretary for education for the Diocese of Joilet in March 2002. He also served as the Illinois state 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...
for the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
from 1993 until 2009.
Kaffer sufffered a heart attack and a diagnosis of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
in October 2008. He resided at the Our Lady of the Angels Retirement Home in Joliet from 2008 until 2009.
Bishop Kaffer died May 28, 2009, in Joliet, Illinois, at the age of 81. His body was allowed to lie in state at Cathedral of St. Raymond in his native Joliet before his funeral.