William Donald Borders
Encyclopedia
William Donald Borders was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He was the 13th Archbishop of Baltimore
from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as the first Bishop of Orlando
from 1968 to 1974. At the time of his death, he was the fourth-oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States.
, Indiana
, the third of seven children of Thomas Martin and Zelpha Ann (née Queen) Borders. His birth came during a flood that lifted his family's house off its foundation and forced the physician to reach their house by boat. After attending Catholic elementary and high school, he began his studies for the priesthood
at Saint Meinrad's Seminary
in 1932.
He transferred to the Archdiocese of New Orleans
in Louisiana
in 1936 after Archbishop Joseph Rummel
made an appeal for priests and seminarians. He completed his studies at Notre Dame Seminary
in New Orleans.
a priest by Archbishop Rummel on May 18, 1940. He then served as an associate pastor
at Sacred Heart Church in Baton Rouge
until 1943, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps
during World War II
. He received a month's training at Harvard University
before becoming a battalion
chaplain
with the 362nd Infantry Regiment of the 91st Infantry Division. His regiment trained in North Africa
for the Italian Campaign
. During an attack on a German
position near Florence
in 1944, Borders carried a wounded American soldier to safety while under machine gun
fire, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor
.
In 1946, Borders left the military service with the rank of Major
and returned to Louisiana. He briefly served as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Westwego
before being sent to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Notre Dame
in his native Indiana. After earning a Master of Science
degree in Education in 1947, he resumed his pastoral ministry in Louisiana as associate pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in New Orleans. He became an assistant chaplain of the Newman Centre
at Louisiana State University
, eventually rising to become its chaplain. During his tenure at LSU, he spent a summer in Guatemala
to better serve his Hispanic
students.
Borders served at LSU until 1964, except for a two-year period (1957–1959) when he served as pastor
of Holy Family Church in Port Allen
. The assignment was his first pastorate, and he there demonstrated his concern for racial equality by ending segregation
at the church. He burned the ropes that sectioned off the African American
parishioners, who gradually integrated throughout the church.
In 1961, when the Diocese of Baton Rouge
was created out of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Borders was attached to the new diocese. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate
by Pope Paul VI
in 1963, and named rector
of St. Joseph Cathedral the following year. He also served as a diocesan consultor
, director of seminarians, and moderator for the diocesan councils of Catholic Men and Women, and co-founded of St. Joseph Catholic Preparatory School. He attended the last two sessions of the Second Vatican Council
as a peritus
, or theological expert, on the priesthood and ecumenical
relations.
of the newly-erected Diocese of Orlando
, Florida
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following June 14 from Archbishop Luigi Raimondi
, with Bishops Robert Emmet Tracy
and Louis Abel Caillouet serving as co-consecrators
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Auscultabo ut Serviam" (Latin
: "I listen that I may serve").
During his tenure in Orlando, Borders laid the foundations for the new diocese while also implementing the directives of the Second Vatican Council. He oversaw the creation of parish councils and education boards, allowed the laity
to serve as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and formed a Sisters' Council for the nun
s of the diocese. He created a Social Services Board to correlate the work of already-existing agencies, and developed a comprehensive educational program aimed at coordinating efforts in Catholics schools, campus ministry, and religious education. He also initiated social outreach centers to minister to migrant worker
s and the poor.
Borders once described himself as the "Bishop of the Moon
" since the Diocese of Orlando encompassed Cape Canaveral
, from where Apollo 11
launched in 1969.
, Maryland
, on March 25, 1974. He was formally installed at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
on June 26 of that year. He received the pallium
, a vestment worn by metropolitan bishop
s, from Pope Paul VI at St. Peter's Basilica
on March 24, 1975. As head of the nation's oldest Catholic diocese, he held the status of primus inter pares
among the American Catholic bishops.
During his 15-year tenure in Baltimore, Borders divided the archdiocese into three vicar
iates and appointed his auxiliary bishop
s as vicars over them. He reorganized the Archdiocesan Central Services, naming cabinet-level secretaries to carry out the administrative work of the archdiocese. He clarified and strengthened the role of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, and combined the Board of Consultors and the Senate of Priests to form the Priests' Council. He initiated a Department of Pastoral Planning and Management looking to the future needs of the archdiocese, an Office of Fund Development to carry out an effective stewardship program, and an evangelization effort to reach the "unchurched
" in the Archdiocese. Instead of living at the residence at the Basilica of the Assumption
, he lived alone at the former sexton's lodge, which is now the gift shop of the basilica.
Borders became what Baltimore Magazine called the "king of the soup kitchen
s." Under his leadership in Baltimore, the budget for Catholic Charities
grew from $2.5 million a year to $33 million a year, and its staff grew from 200 to more than 1,000. He regularly lobbied members of Congress
and other government officials on behalf of the disadvantaged. In the fall of 1981, in company with other leading Catholic educators, he made a three-week tour of the Peoples Republic of China to investigate the possibilities for an exchange of cultural and educational programs between that nation and the United States.
Borders was among those named in two lawsuits involving clergy sexual abuse, one in Baltimore in 1993 and another in Orlando in 2003. In both cases, he was accused of knowing about alleged abuse by priests in his dioceses but avoiding action against them. The conditions of the Baltimore settlement remain confidential; the Orlando case was settled without Borders' admitting any wrongdoing.
As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
, he chaired the Committee on Education and served on the Committee on Human Values, the Administrative Board of the U.S. Catholic Conference, and the Administrative Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He also chaired the Ad Hoc Committee for the Bicentennial of the U.S. Hierarchy.
, who accepted his resignation on April 6, 1989. He was succeeded by Bishop William Henry Keeler
, then serving as Bishop of Harrisburg
, Pennsylvania
.
In 2003, Borders moved to the Mercy Ridge Retirement Community in Lutherville
. He later moved to Stella Maris Hospice in nearby Timonium
, after being diagnosed with colon cancer
. He died at Stella Maris, at age 96. He was the fourth-oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States, and the longest-surviving of the bishops of both Orlando and Baltimore.
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 was the 13th Archbishop of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as the first Bishop of Orlando
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was established on June 18, 1968. Prior to that the Central Florida area was part of the Diocese of St. Augustine. Today the diocese encompasses nine counties including Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Marion, Lake,...
from 1968 to 1974. At the time of his death, he was the fourth-oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States.
Early life and education
Borders was born in WashingtonWashington, Indiana
Washington is a city in Daviess County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,509 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Daviess County.-History:...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, the third of seven children of Thomas Martin and Zelpha Ann (née Queen) Borders. His birth came during a flood that lifted his family's house off its foundation and forced the physician to reach their house by boat. After attending Catholic elementary and high school, he began his studies for 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....
at Saint Meinrad's Seminary
Saint Meinrad School of Theology
The Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology is located in Saint Meinrad in southern Indiana and is affiliated with the St. Meinrad Archabbey, which itself is affiliated with Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland...
in 1932.
He transferred to the Archdiocese of New Orleans
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, officially in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church administered from New Orleans, Louisiana...
in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in 1936 after Archbishop Joseph Rummel
Joseph Rummel
Joseph Francis Rummel was bishop of the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Joseph Francis Rummel (October 14, 1876, Steinmauern, Baden - November 8, 1964, New Orleans, Louisiana) was bishop of the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska (Mar. 30, 1928 - Mar. 9, 1935)...
made an appeal for priests and seminarians. He completed his studies at Notre Dame Seminary
Notre Dame Seminary
Notre Dame Seminary is a resident, accredited graduate theological school in New Orleans, Louisiana, founded in 1923 for the education of men to be priests of the Roman Catholic Church. The building, located at 2901 South Carrollton Avenue, was constructed between 1922-1923, and was designed by...
in New Orleans.
Priesthood
Borders was ordainedHoly 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....
a priest by Archbishop Rummel on May 18, 1940. He then served as an associate 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 Sacred Heart Church in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
until 1943, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps
United States Corps of Chaplains
This article is about an organization not associated with the United States Military.The United States Corps Of Chaplains is a non-denominational Christian organization which provides ministerial assistance and other aid to active-duty military members, veterans, and their family members...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He received a month's training at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
before becoming a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
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...
with the 362nd Infantry Regiment of the 91st Infantry Division. His regiment trained 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...
for the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
. During an attack on a German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
position near Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in 1944, Borders carried a wounded American soldier to safety while under machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
fire, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
.
In 1946, Borders left the military service with the rank of Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and returned to Louisiana. He briefly served as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Westwego
Westwego, Louisiana
Westwego is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 10,763 at the 2000 census. It lies along the west bank of the Mississippi River.-Geography:...
before being sent to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in his native Indiana. After earning a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in Education in 1947, he resumed his pastoral ministry in Louisiana as associate pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in New Orleans. He became an assistant chaplain of the Newman Centre
Newman Centre
Named in honour of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Newman Centers are residence and Catholic ministry centers at non-Catholic universities throughout the world. They were inspired by Newman's writings encouraging societies for Catholic students attending secular universities.In 1888 the...
at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, eventually rising to become its chaplain. During his tenure at LSU, he spent a summer in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
to better serve his Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
students.
Borders served at LSU until 1964, except for a two-year period (1957–1959) when he served as 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 Holy Family Church in Port Allen
Port Allen, Louisiana
Port Allen is a city in and the parish seat of West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States. Port Allen is located between Interstate 10 and US Highway 190 on the West bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 5,180 at the 2010 census...
. The assignment was his first pastorate, and he there demonstrated his concern for racial equality by ending segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
at the church. He burned the ropes that sectioned off the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
parishioners, who gradually integrated throughout the church.
In 1961, when the Diocese of Baton Rouge
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, officially in Latin Dioecesis Rubribaculensis, is a Latin Rite diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of New Orleans....
was created out of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Borders was attached to the new diocese. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate
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"...
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...
in 1963, and named 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. Joseph Cathedral the following year. He also served as a diocesan consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
, director of seminarians, and moderator for the diocesan councils of Catholic Men and Women, and co-founded of St. Joseph Catholic Preparatory School. He attended the last two sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
as a peritus
Peritus
Peritus is the title given to Roman Catholic theologians who are present to give advice at an ecumenical council. At the most recent council, the Second Vatican Council, some periti accompanied individual bishops or groups of bishops from various countries...
, or theological expert, on the priesthood and ecumenical
Catholic Church and ecumenism
The Catholic Church has been heavily involved in the ecumenical movement since the Second Vatican Council .- Before the Second Vatican Council :...
relations.
Orlando
On May 2, 1968, Borders was appointed the first BishopOrdinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of the newly-erected Diocese of Orlando
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was established on June 18, 1968. Prior to that the Central Florida area was part of the Diocese of St. Augustine. Today the diocese encompasses nine counties including Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Marion, Lake,...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, 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 the following June 14 from 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....
, with Bishops Robert Emmet Tracy
Robert Emmet Tracy
Robert Emmet Tracy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1961 to 1974.-Biography:...
and Louis Abel Caillouet 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...
. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Auscultabo ut Serviam" (Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: "I listen that I may serve").
During his tenure in Orlando, Borders laid the foundations for the new diocese while also implementing the directives of the Second Vatican Council. He oversaw the creation of parish councils and education boards, allowed the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
to serve as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and formed a Sisters' Council for the nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s of the diocese. He created a Social Services Board to correlate the work of already-existing agencies, and developed a comprehensive educational program aimed at coordinating efforts in Catholics schools, campus ministry, and religious education. He also initiated social outreach centers to minister to migrant worker
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
s and the poor.
Borders once described himself as the "Bishop of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
" since the Diocese of Orlando encompassed Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, from where Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
launched in 1969.
Baltimore
Following the retirement of Cardinal Lawrence Shehan, Borders was appointed the 13th Archbishop of BaltimoreRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, on March 25, 1974. He was formally installed at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located at 5200 North Charles Street, in northern Baltimore, Maryland....
on June 26 of that year. He received the pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
, a vestment worn by metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
s, from Pope Paul VI at St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
on March 24, 1975. As head of the nation's oldest Catholic diocese, he held the status of primus inter pares
Primus inter pares
Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
among the American Catholic bishops.
During his 15-year tenure in Baltimore, Borders divided the archdiocese into three 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...
iates and appointed his 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...
s as vicars over them. He reorganized the Archdiocesan Central Services, naming cabinet-level secretaries to carry out the administrative work of the archdiocese. He clarified and strengthened the role of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, and combined the Board of Consultors and the Senate of Priests to form the Priests' Council. He initiated a Department of Pastoral Planning and Management looking to the future needs of the archdiocese, an Office of Fund Development to carry out an effective stewardship program, and an evangelization effort to reach the "unchurched
Unchurched
"Unchurched" means, in the broad sense, people who are not connected with a church. In research on religious participation, it refers more specifically to people who do not attend worship services...
" in the Archdiocese. Instead of living at the residence at the Basilica of the Assumption
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States, and was the first major religious building constructed in the nation after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution...
, he lived alone at the former sexton's lodge, which is now the gift shop of the basilica.
Borders became what Baltimore Magazine called the "king of the soup kitchen
Soup kitchen
A soup kitchen, a bread line, or a meal center is a place where food is offered to the hungry for free or at a reasonably low price. Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, they are often staffed by volunteer organizations, such as church groups or community groups...
s." Under his leadership in Baltimore, the budget for Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
grew from $2.5 million a year to $33 million a year, and its staff grew from 200 to more than 1,000. He regularly lobbied members of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and other government officials on behalf of the disadvantaged. In the fall of 1981, in company with other leading Catholic educators, he made a three-week tour of the Peoples Republic of China to investigate the possibilities for an exchange of cultural and educational programs between that nation and the United States.
Borders was among those named in two lawsuits involving clergy sexual abuse, one in Baltimore in 1993 and another in Orlando in 2003. In both cases, he was accused of knowing about alleged abuse by priests in his dioceses but avoiding action against them. The conditions of the Baltimore settlement remain confidential; the Orlando case was settled without Borders' admitting any wrongdoing.
As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
, he chaired the Committee on Education and served on the Committee on Human Values, the Administrative Board of the U.S. Catholic Conference, and the Administrative Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He also chaired the Ad Hoc Committee for the Bicentennial of the U.S. Hierarchy.
Later life and death
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Borders submitted his letter of resignation to Pope John Paul IIPope 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 ...
, who accepted his resignation on April 6, 1989. He was succeeded by Bishop William Henry Keeler
William Henry Keeler
William Henry Keeler is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994....
, then serving as Bishop of Harrisburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
In 2003, Borders moved to the Mercy Ridge Retirement Community in Lutherville
Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland
Lutherville-Timonium is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland made up of the unincorporated communities of Lutherville and Timonium. The population was 15,814 as of the 2000 census. Within its borders lies the Lutherville Historic District...
. He later moved to Stella Maris Hospice in nearby Timonium
Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland
Lutherville-Timonium is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland made up of the unincorporated communities of Lutherville and Timonium. The population was 15,814 as of the 2000 census. Within its borders lies the Lutherville Historic District...
, after being diagnosed with colon cancer
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....
. He died at Stella Maris, at age 96. He was the fourth-oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States, and the longest-surviving of the bishops of both Orlando and Baltimore.
External links
- Most Rev. William D. Borders, 13th Archbishop of Baltimore (Ordinaries Detail) – Archdiocese of Baltimore.
- Coat of Arms of His Excellency The Most Reverend William Donald Borders, D.D. Archbishop of Baltimore – Archdiocese of Baltimore.
- Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Cathedral of Mary Our Queen