November 2003

Bishop Olmsted of Wichita, Kansas, Appointed Fourth Bishop of Diocese of Phoenix

From Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS Nov 25) -- Pope John Paul II has named Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, 56, of Wichita, Kan., as the new bishop of Phoenix.

A bishop since 1999, he succeeds Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien, who resigned June 18 after being arrested on a felony charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Bishop O'Brien had headed the diocese since 1982.

Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe, N.M., is administering the diocese until the new bishop is installed Dec. 20.

Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, papal nuncio to the United States, announced Bishop Olmsted's appointment in Washington Nov. 25.

Thomas James Olmstead was born Jan. 21, 1947, in Oketo, Kan., in the Kansas City Archdiocese.

He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., July 2, 1973, after studies at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver and at the North American College and Gregorian University in Rome.

After three years as an assistant pastor at the Lincoln cathedral he returned to Gregorian University in Rome for graduate studies in canon law, receiving his doctorate summa cum laude in 1979.

He served in the Vatican Secretariat of State and as spiritual director of the North American College from 1979 to 1988.

On his return to the Lincoln Diocese in 1989, he was made pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Seward, Neb., and promoter of justice on the diocesan tribunal.

He held those posts until 1993, when he was named dean of formation at the Pontifical College Josephinum, a college and theological seminary in Columbus, Ohio. In 1997 he was named the Josephinum's rector and president.

He was made coadjutor bishop of Wichita Feb. 16, 1999, and ordained there April 20. He became bishop of Wichita Oct. 4, 2001.

Since early in his priesthood he has been a member of Jesus Caritas, an international association of diocesan priests who seek to combine an active life with a contemplative calling.

In the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, he is a member of the Administrative Committee and the Committee on Consecrated Life and a consultant to the Committee on Priestly Formation.

He is on the board of directors of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC, a public interest law firm that is a subsidiary of the bishops' conference but separately incorporated.

He is also on the episcopal board of advisers of Priests for Life.

In moving to Phoenix, Bishop Olmsted will go from a diocese of 130,000 Catholics served by 67 active diocesan priests in 118 parishes to one with 530,000 Catholics served by 96 active diocesan priests in 89 parishes.

Bishop Olmsted will assume charge of a diocese torn by controversy in the past two years over allegations of mishandling of some sexually abusive priests in the past.

Just two weeks before his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident, Bishop O'Brien and Maricopa County Attorney Richard Romley announced an agreement in which, to avoid possible criminal prosecution regarding his handling of cases of alleged sexual abuse of minors by priests, the bishop gave up his administrative responsibilities in that area.

The bishop publicly apologized for having assigned priests suspected of abuse of minors to ministries involving work with children and agreed that the diocese would reimburse the county $100,000 for costs of its yearlong criminal investigation and contribute up to $600,000 to separate funds for compensation and counseling for victims.

When the agreement was announced June 2, Romley also announced that six priests were being indicted for sexual abuse of minors.

Bishop O'Brien is scheduled to go to trial on the hit-and-run charges in January.

Archbishop Sheehan, who has been commuting regularly between his own archdiocese and Phoenix since he was named the diocese's apostolic administrator in June, thanked Phoenix Catholics for their cooperation in recent months.

But he added, "I will be happy to turn the reins over to Bishop Olmsted so that I can give my full attention to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe."

Statement by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan regarding
Bishop Olmsted's Appointment as Bishop of Phoenix

(Nov 25) Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has appointed a Bishop for the Diocese of Phoenix.

It is with great joy that I announce today that Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted is the Bishop-Elect of Phoenix. He is presently the Bishop of Wichita, Kansas. I will continue to be responsible for Phoenix as the Apostolic Administrator until Bishop Olmsted’s installation on Saturday, December 20, 2003.

The clergy, religious and laity of the Phoenix Diocese have been so appreciative and cooperative since my ministry to them began on June 17, 2003. However, I will be happy to turn the reins over to Bishop Olmsted so that I can give my full attention to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

We ask prayers for the new Bishop of Phoenix and for the flock that he is called to shepherd.

Diocese Announces New Bishop

(Nov 25) Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Wichita is the new Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. Bishop Olmsted’s appointment was released today in Rome from the Vatican.

At 10:00 this morning, Archbishop Michael Sheehan will introduce Bishop Olmsted at a press conference at the Diocesan Pastoral Center at 400 W. Monroe.

Olmsted was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Wichita, February 16, 1999. He was born in Marysville, Kansas in 1947. After graduating from St. Thomas Seminary in Denver in 1969 he completed his studies at the North American College in Rome and the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained in the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska in July of 1973.

He studied Canon Law from 1976-1979(he graduated summa cum laude from the Gregorian in 1981) and served in the Vatican Secretariat of State and as Spiritual Director of the North American College from 1979 to 1988. From there he was pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church and official diocesan tribunal from 1989-1993.

Bishop Olmsted was appointed President and Rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio in 1997 and was serving in that capacity when he was named Coadjutor Bishop of Wichita in February , 1999.

Now that Bishop Olmsted has been named the Bishop of Phoenix, the next step in the process is his installation. According to canon law, that must happen in the next 60 days. That installation ceremony will take place sometime in December at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral.

Background Information on Bishop Thomas Olmsted

(Nov 25) Thomas James Olmsted was born on January 21, 1947, in Marysville, Kansas.After graduating from St. Thomas Seminary, Denver, in 1969, he completed studies at the North American College in Rome and the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained for the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, July 2, 1973.

Following ordination, Bishop Olmsted was assistant pastor, Cathedral of the Risen Christ, Lincoln, from 1973 to 1976; studied Canon Law from 1976 to 1979 (he graduated summa cum laude from the Gregorian in 1981); served in the Vatican Secretariat of State and as spiritual director of the North American College from 1979 to 1988; pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church, and official of the diocesan tribunal from 1989 to 1993.

He was appointed President and Rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum, Worthington, Ohio, in 1997, and was serving in that capacity when he was named Coadjutor Bishop of Wichita, February 16, 1999.

Eugene J. Gerber was born April 30, 1931 in Kingman, Kansas. He studied at St. Thomas Seminary and Wichita State University and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Wichita, on May 19, 1959. Appointed Bishop of Dodge City on October 16, 1976, he was transferred to the Diocese of Wichita on November 17, 1982.

The Diocese of Wichita, established in 1887, comprises 20,000 square miles in the State of Kansas. It has a Catholic population of about 114,000 in a total population of 947,000.

Joseph C. McKinney was born September 10, 1928 in Grand Rapids. He studied at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, December 20, 1953. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Lentini and Auxiliary Bishop of Grand Rapids on July 19, 1968, and ordained September 16, 1968.

Pope John Paul II has named Bishop Thomas James Olmsted of Wichita, Kan., to be the fourth bishop of Phoenix

(Nov 25) Pope John Paul II has named Bishop Thomas James Olmsted of Wichita, Kan., to be the fourth bishop of Phoenix. The announcement was listed on the website of the Vatican Press Office Nov. 25.

A 56-year-old native of Oketo, Kan., Bishop Olmstead studied for the priesthood in Denver and Rome and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., in 1973.

Following his July 2, 1973, ordination, Bishop Olmsted was assistant pastor at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln from 1973 to 1976 and studied canon law from 1976 to 1979, graduating summa cum laude from the Gregorian University in Rome.

He then served in the Vatican Secretariat of State and as spiritual director of the North American College in Rome from 1979 to 1988 and as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church and promoter of justice at the Lincoln diocesan tribunal from 1989 to 1993.

Bishop Olmsted went to the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993 as dean of formation and was appointed president and rector of the college in 1997. The Josephinum is the only pontifical seminary outside Italy.

He speaks and writes Italian and Spanish.

Bishop Olmsted is a member of the U.S. bishops' Administrative Committee and the Committee on Consecrated Life; he is a consultor to the Committee on Priestly Formation. He is also on the board of directors of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

Donna Killoughey Bird Announced as 2004 CDA Chairwoman

(Nov 11) We are pleased to announce that Attorney Donna Killoughey Bird has agreed to be the Chair of the 2004 Charity and Development Appeal. Donna is a native of Chicago and a graduate of De Paul University. She earned her J.D. from Arizona State University and is Managing Partner in the Law Firm of Barnes, Lassiter and Killoughey in Mesa. For more than 23 years she has been an active member of St. Timothy’s Catholic Community in Mesa and served for eight years on St. Tim’s Finance Committee. For the diocese she served five years as a founding member of the Bishop’s Stewardship Council and as a member of the Diocesan Finance Committee for 6 years, presently as chair. Professionally, Donna has been an active and contributing member of the American, Arizona and Maricopa County Bar Association.

Once again, we are blessed to have an outstanding Catholic leader for the 2004 CDA.

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November 2003