Edward Urban Kmiec (/ˈkɪmɪk/, KIM-ik; June 4, 1936 – July 11, 2020) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo in New York from 2004 to 2012.
Bishop Edward Kmiec | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Buffalo | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Diocese of Buffalo |
| Appointed | August 12, 2004 |
| Installed | October 28, 2004 |
| Term ended | May 29, 2012 |
| Predecessor | Henry Joseph Mansell |
| Successor | Richard Joseph Malone |
| Previous post(s) |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 20, 1961 |
| Consecration | November 3, 1982 by John C. Reiss, George W. Ahr, and James John Hogan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 4, 1936 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | July 11, 2020 (aged 84) Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Motto | Charity and service |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Edward Urban Kmiec | |
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| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Ordination history of Edward Kmiec | |||||||||
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Kmiec previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Trenton from 1982 to 1992 and as bishop of the Diocese of Nashville in Tennessee from 1992 to 2004
Biography
editEdward Kmiec was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on June 4, 1936. At age 25, Kmiec was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Trenton by Archbishop Martin O’Connor in Rome on December 20, 1961.[1]
Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton
editThis section needs expansion with: additional facts of Bishop Kmiec's activities for the Diocese of Trenton 1982–1992. You can help by adding to it. (February 2015) |
Pope John Paul II appointed Kmiec on August 26, 1982, as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Trenton and Titular Bishop of Simidicca. He was consecrated on November 3, 1982, by Bishop John C. Reiss.[1]
Bishop of Nashville
editThis section needs expansion with: additional facts of Bishop Kmiec's activities for the Diocese of Nashville 1992–2004. You can help by adding to it. (February 2015) |
John Paul II appointed Kmiec as bishop of the Diocese of Nashville on October 13, 1992; he was installed on December 3, 1992.[1] He was heavily criticized for his diocese’s handling of sexual abuse allegations, particularly those against Edward McKeown, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old boy.[1]
Bishop of Buffalo, New York
editOn August 12, 2004, Kmiec was appointed by John Paul II as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo. [2][1] He was installed on October 28, 2004.[1] In 2007, Kmiec announced that the diocese had a balanced budget, after spending cuts reduced a $2.1 million deficit from the previous year.[3]
In August 2009, the Buffalo News reported the removal of Monsignor Fred R. Voorhes, as Administrator of St. Teresa's Parish in South Buffalo and the subsequent dismissal of Marc J. Pasquale, as business administrator and director of religious education at St. Teresa's. Parishioners expressed in interviews their discontent with these removals. Pasquale had gone to the Erie County District Attorney's Office prior to his dismissal to raise concerns about questionable financial practices.[4]
Kmiec was heavily criticized for downsizing the diocese from 274 parishes and missions in 2005 to 170 in 2011. He also oversaw the closures of 25 elementary schools.[4][5][6][7] The Diocese under Kmiec ordained only 18 priests from 2004 to 2011.[5]
Retirement and legacy
editOn May 29, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Kmiec's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo.[1] Bishop Richard Malone from the Diocese of Portland in Maine replaced him.[8]
Edward Kmiec died in Buffalo on July 11, 2020, at age 84.[9][1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Bishop Edward Urban Kmiec [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
- ^ "Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec, D.D., 13th Bishop of Buffalo". Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ^ "Bishop says diocesan budget is balanced". Business Business First. September 5, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ^ a b "Diocese Ousts St Teresas Priest and Finance Chief, Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News, August 27, 2009". www.bishop-accountability.org.
- ^ a b At 75, Kmiec reaches a crossroads, Buffalo News, June 4, 2011.
- ^ Honoring a bishop who weathered the storms, Buffalo News, October 30, 2011.
- ^ Sole power: Bishop Edward Kmiec wants change - and so it will be, Buffalo Business First, September 11, 2006; retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Most Rev. Richard J. Malone appointed Bishop of Buffalo". WKBW.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ "Buffalo Bishop Edward Kmiec passes away following brief illness". Retrieved July 12, 2020.