Gerald Frederick Kicanas
| His Excellency The Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Tucson | |
 Bishop Kicanas in 2013. | |
| Church | Roman Catholic |
| Province | Santa Fe |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson |
| Predecessor | Manuel Moreno |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | April 27, 1967 |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Gerald Frederick Kicanas |
| Born | August 18, 1941 |
| Motto |
Justice Begets Peace La Justicia Promueve la Paz |
| Coat of arms |
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| Styles of Gerald F. Kicanas | |
|---|---|
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| Reference style | His Excellency |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Gerald Frederick Kicanas (born August 18, 1941) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the seventh and current Bishop of Tucson.
Biography
Gerald Kicanas was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Frederick and Eva Kicanas, his parents being of Lebanese heritage. He attended Immaculate Heart Elementary School and Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, and the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, from where he obtained his licentiate in Sacred Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on April 27, 1967, and then earned a PhD in Educational Psychology and an MEd in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola University in Chicago.
After working as an associate pastor until 1978, Kicanas held various offices within the archdiocesan seminary for over twenty-five years. After serving as rector, principal, and Dean of Formation at Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, he was appointed rector of Mundelein Seminary at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in 1984. Whilst rector, he concurrently served as a lecturer in Community and Organization Development at Loyola University.
On January 24, 1995, Kicanas was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and Titular Bishop of Bela by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following March 20 from Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, with Bishops Alfred Abramowicz and Timothy Lyne serving as co-consecrators. Kicanas selected as his episcopal motto: "La Justicia Promueve La Paz", meaning "Justice begets peace" (Isaiah 32:17).
During his tenure as an auxiliary, he served as Episcopal Vicar for Vicariate I in the archdiocese, which includes Lake and Cook Counties. He also became highly involved with vocations, the permanent diaconate, and encouragement of lay ministry.
Kicanas was named Coadjutor Bishop of Tucson, Arizona on October 30, 2001, being formally installed as such on January 15, 2002. He later succeeded Manuel Moreno as the seventh Bishop of Tucson on March 7, 2003. Kicanas has been praised for his handling of the sexual abuse crisis in his diocese, which had declared bankruptcy due to settlement costs.[1]
On November 13, 2007, he was elected Vice-President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, beating Archbishop Timothy Dolan by a margin of twenty-two votes. On February 28, 2008, Kicanas was chosen by the USCCB, and confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI, to become a member of the American delegation to the twelfth World Synod of Bishops, which was held in the Vatican from October 5 to October 26, 2012.[2] On November 16, 2010, he was defeated by Dolan to become USCCB President, the first time a sitting Vice President was not subsequently elected president when seeking that office. On November 17, 2010 Kicanas was appointed chairman of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Board of Directors by Cardinal Francis George, OMI, of Chicago, outgoing president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In June 2009, Kicanas spoke at the annual meeting of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management at the Wharton School in Philadelphia. He delivered a talk addressing the need for effective communications in the Catholic Church.[3]
As rector of Mundelein Seminary, Kicanas confronted then-seminarian Daniel McCormack over allegations he attempted to seduce a minor. He admitted it and the leaders notified Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. Yet, even though standard protocol called for expelling a seminarian who acted out in this way McCormack was ordained in 1994. [4]
Honors
Kicanas was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Notre Dame on May 22, 2011.[5]
References
- ↑ Whispers in the Loggia. Chicago on Top: Windy City Sweeps Bishops' Posts November 13, 2007
- ↑ USCCB Office of Media Relations. Vatican Appoints U.S. Delegates To October Synod On Scripture February 28, 2008
- ↑ http://www.nlrcm.org/Wharton/2009/Conversion_Underlies_Communication.htm
- ↑ http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-daniel-mccormack-punitive-damages-met-20160210-story.html
- ↑ University of Notre Dame. "Honorary Degree". Retrieved 20 June 2011.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gerald Frederick Kicanas. |
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Manuel Duran Moreno |
Bishop of Tucson 2003–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
