Home | Jobs | Parishes | Schools | A-Z Index | Records | News | Calendar | Contact | Login | Español | Search 
Pathways
History of the Archdiocese
Archives
Meet the Bishops
News & Publications
Offices & Ministries
Vocations
Sharing the Light
Catholic Schools
Careers in Ministry
Together In Faith Phase II
Parish Information
Prayers & Reflection
Safe Environments
Store
Giving Opportunities
Economic Crisis
Patron Saint
Search
 

Together In Faith
Catholic Schools
Promise to Protect/Pledge to Heal
Catholic Television Network of Detroit
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
CSA
Changing Lives Together
 
Home / Meet the Bishops / History of the Bishops

History of Bishops Affiliated with the Church of Detroit  (1833-2011)

Established a Diocese
by His Holiness, Pope Gregory XVI
8 March 1833

Created an Archbishopric
by His Holiness, Pope Pius XI
3 August 1937

His Excellency, Right Reverend Frederick John Conrad RÉSÉ
Born: 6 February 1791 (Vienenberg, Germany)
Ordained Priest: 15 March 1823
Appointed 1st Bishop of Detroit: 25 February 1833
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Detroit: 6 October 1833
Resigned: 19 August 1840
Died: 30 December 1871

His Excellency, Right Reverend Peter Paul LEFEVERE (Lefebre)
Born: 30 April 1804 (Roulers, Belgium)
Ordained Priest: 30 November 1831
Appointed Coadjutor (2nd) Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Zela: 23 July 1841 
Ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Detroit: 21 November 1841
Died: 4 March 1869

His Excellency, Right Reverend Caspar Henry BORGESS
Born: 1 August 1826 (Addrup, Germany)
Ordained Priest (Cincinnati): 8 December 1848
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Calydon: 14 February 1870
Ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Detroit: 24 April 1870
Succeeded as 3rd Bishop of Detroit: 30 December 1871
Resigned and Appointed Titular Bishop of Phacusa: 16 April 1887
Died: 3 May 1890

His Excellency, Right Reverend John Samuel FOLEY
Born: 5 November 1833 (Baltimore, Maryland)
Ordained Priest (Baltimore): 20 December 1856
Appointed 4th Bishop of Detroit: 11 February 1888
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Detroit: 4 November 1888
Died: 5 January 1918

His Excellency, Most Reverend Michael James GALLAGHER
Born: 16 November 1866 (Auburn, Michigan)
Ordained Priest (Grand Rapids): 19 March 1893
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Grand Rapids and Titular Bishop of Tipasa in Mauretania: 5 July 1915
Ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Grand Rapids: 8 September 1915
Succeeded as 2nd Bishop of Grand Rapids: 26 December 1916
Appointed 5th Bishop of Detroit: 18 July 1918
Installed Bishop of Detroit: 18 November 1918
Died: 20 January 1937

His Eminence, Edward Aloysius Cardinal MOONEY
Born: 9 May 1882 (Mount Savage, Maryland)
Ordained Priest (Cleveland): 10 April 1909
Appointed Apostolic Delegate to India and Titular Archbishop of
Irenopolis in Isauria: 21 January 1926
Ordained Titular Archbishop of Irenopolis in Isauria: 31 January 1926
Appointed Apostolic Delegate to Japan: 30 March 1931
Appointed 4th Bishop (Archbishop) of Rochester, New York: 28 August 1933
Appointed 6th Ordinary and First Archbishop of Detroit: 31 May 1937
Installed 1st Archbishop of Detroit: 3 August 1937
Created Cardinal Priest of Santa Susanna, Roma: 18 February 1946
Died: 25 October 1958 (Rome)

His Eminence, John Francis Cardinal DEARDEN
Born: 15 October 1907 (Valley Falls, RI)
Ordained Priest (Cleveland): 8 December 1932
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop of Sarepta: 13 March 1948
Ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Pittsburgh: 18 May 1948
Succeeded as 7th Bishop of Pittsburgh: 22 December 1950
Appointed 7th Ordinary and Second Archbishop of Detroit: 18 December 1958
Installed Archbishop of Detroit: 29 January 1959
Created Cardinal Priest of S. Pio X alla Balduina, Roma: 28 April 1969
Resigned: 15 July 1980
Died: 1 August 1988

His Eminence, Edmund Casimir Cardinal SZOKA
Born: 14 September 1927 (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Ordained Priest (Marquette): 5 June 1954
Appointed 1st Bishop of Gaylord: 11 June 1971
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Gaylord: 20 July 1971
Appointed 8th Ordinary and Third Archbishop of Detroit: 21 March 1981
Installed Archbishop of Detroit: 17 May 1981
Created Cardinal Priest of SS. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Cielo, Roma: 28 June 1988
Appointed President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See: 28 April 1990
Appointed President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State: 15 October 1997
Appointed President of Vatican City State: 22 February 2001
Resigned: 14 September 2007

His Eminence, Adam Joseph Cardinal MAIDA
Born: 18 March 1930 (East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania)
Ordained Priest (Pittsburgh): 26 May 1956
Appointed Ninth Bishop of Green Bay: 8 November 1983
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Green Bay: 25 January 1984
Appointed 9th Ordinary and 4th Archbishop of Detroit: 28 April 1990
Installed Archbishop of Detroit: 12 June 1990
Created Cardinal Priest of SS. Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio, Roma: 26 November 1994
Appointed Superior of the Cayman Islands, Antilles: 14 July 2000
Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Archdiocese of Detroit: 5 January 2009
Resigned: 29 January 2009

Archbishop Allen Henry VIGNERON
Born: 21 October 1948 (Mount Clemens, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 26 July 1975
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie in Michigan: 12 June 1996
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 9 July 1996
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Oakland: 10 January 2003
Installed Coadjutor Bishop of Oakland: 26 February 2003
Succeeded as 3rd Bishop of Oakland: 1 October 2003
Appointed 10th Ordinary and 5th Archbishop of Detroit: 5 January 2009
Installed Archbishop of Detroit: 28 January 2009 


Bishop Camillus Paul MAES
Born: 13 March 1846 (Courtrai, Belgium)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 19 December 1868
Appointed 3rd Bishop of Covington: 1 October 1884
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Covington: 25 January 1885
Died: 11 May 1915

Bishop Francis Clement KELLEY
Born: 23 October 1870 (Vernon River, Prince Edward Island, Canada)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 23 August 1893
Appointed 2nd Bishop of Oklahoma (City and Tulsa): 25 June 1924
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Oklahoma: 2 October 1924
Died: 1 February 1948

Bishop William Francis MURPHY
Born: 11 May 1885 (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 13 June 1908
Appointed 1st Bishop of Saginaw: 26 February 1938
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Saginaw: 16 May 1938
Died: 7 February 1950

Bishop Kenneth Edward UNTENER
Born: 3 August 1937 (Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 1 June 1963
Appointed 4th Bishop of Saginaw: 4 October 1980
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Saginaw: 24 November 1980
Died: 27 March 2004

Archbishop Alexander Joseph BRUNETT
Born: 17 January 1934 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 13 July 1958
Appointed 8th Bishop of Helena: 19 April 1994
Ordained and Installed Bishop of Helena: 6 July 1994
Appointed 8th Ordinary and 4th Archbishop of Seattle: 28 October 1997
Installed Archbishop of Seattle: 18 December 1997
Resigned: 16 September 2010

Bishop Edward Denis KELLY
Born: 30 December 1860 (Hartford, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 16 June 1886
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Cestra: 9 December 1910
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 26 January 1911
Appointed 3rd Bishop of Grand Rapids: 16 January 1919
Installed Bishop of Grand Rapids: 20 May 1919
Died: 26 March 1926

Bishop Joseph Casimir PLAGENS
Born: 29 January 1880 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 5 July 1903
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Rhodiopolis: 22 May 1924
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 30 September 1924
Appointed 5th Bishop of Marquette: 16 November 1935
Installed Bishop of Marquette: 29 January 1936 
Appointed 5th Bishop of Grand Rapids: 16 December 1940
Installed Bishop of Grand Rapids: 18 February 1941
Died: 31 March 1943

Bishop Stephen Stanislaus WOZNICKI
Born: 17 August 1894 (Miners Mills, Pennsylvania)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 22 December 1917
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Pelte: 13 December 1937
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 25 January 1938
Appointed 2nd Bishop of Saginaw: 28 March 1950
Resigned and Appointed Titular Bishop of Tiava: 30 October 1968
Died: 10 December 1968

Bishop Allen James BABCOCK
Born: 17 June 1898 (Bad Axe, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 7 March 1925
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Irenopolis in Cilicia:15 February 1947
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 25 March 1947
Appointed 7th Bishop of Grand Rapids: 23 March 1954
Installed Bishop of Grand Rapids: 20 May 1954
Died: 27 June 1969

Bishop Alexander Mieceslaus ZALESKI
Born: 24 June 1906 (Laurel, NY)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 12 July 1931
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Lyrbe: 28 March 1950
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 23 May 1950
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Lansing: 7 October 1964
Succeeded as Second Bishop of Lansing 1 December 1965
Died: 16 May 1975

Bishop John Anthony DONOVAN
Born: 5 August 1911 (London, Ontario, Canada)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 8 December 1935
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Rhasus: 6 September 1954
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 26 October 1954
Appointed 5th Bishop of Toledo in America: 25 February 1967
Installed Bishop of Toledo: 18 April 1967
Resigned: 29 July 1980
Died: 18 September 1991

Bishop Henry Edmund DONNELLY
Born: 28 August 1904 (Hudson, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 17 August 1930
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Tymbrias: 6 September 1954
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 26 October 1954
Died: 4 November 1967

Bishop Joseph Matthew BREITENBECK
Born: 3 August 1914 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 30 May 1942
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Tepelta: 18 October 1965
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 20 December 1965
Appointed 8th Bishop of Grand Rapids: 15 October 1969
Installed Bishop of Grand Rapids: 2 December 1969
Resigned: 24 June 1989
Died: 12 March 2005

Bishop Thomas John GUMBLETON
Born: 26 January 1930 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 2 June 1956
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Ululi: 8 March 1968
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 1 May 1968
Resigned: 21 January 2006

Bishop Walter Joseph SCHOENHERR
Born: 28 February 1920 (Center Line, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 27 October 1945
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Timidana: 8 March 1968
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 1 May 1968
Resigned: 7 March 1995
Died: 27 April 2007

Bishop Joseph Leopold IMESCH
Born: 21 June 1931 (Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 16 December 1956
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Pomaria: 8 February 1973
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 3 April 1973
Appointed 3rd Bishop of Joliet in Illinois: 30 June 1979
Installed Bishop of Joliet in Illinois: 28 August 1979
Resigned: 16 May 2006

Bishop Arthur Henry KRAWCZAK
Born: 2 February 1913 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 18 May 1940
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Subbar: 8 February 1973
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 3 April 1973
Resigned: 17 August 1982
Died: 13 January 2000

Bishop Moses Bosco ANDERSON, SSE
Born: 9 September 1928 (Selma, Alabama)
Ordained Society of St. Edmund Priest: 30 May 1958
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Vatarba: 2 December 1982
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 27 January 1983
Resigned: 24 October 2003

Bishop Patrick Ronald COONEY
Born: 10 March 1934 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 20 December 1959
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Hodelm: 3 December 1982
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 27 January 1983
Appointed 3rd Bishop of Gaylord: 6 November 1989
Installed Bishop of Gaylord: 28 January 1990
Resigned: 7 October 2009

Bishop Dale Joseph MELCZEK
Born: 9 November 1938 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 6 June 1964
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Trau: 3 December 1982
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 27 January 1983
Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Gary: 19 August 1992
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Gary: 28 October 1995
Succeeded as 3rd Bishop of Gary: 1 June 1996

Bishop Bernard Joseph HARRINGTON
Born: 6 September 1933 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 6 June 1959
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Uzali: 23 November 1993
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 6 January 1994
Appointed 7th Bishop of Winona: 4 November 1998
Installed Bishop of Winona: 6 January 1999
Resigned: 7 May 2009

Bishop Kevin Michael BRITT
Born: 19 November 1944 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 28 June 1970
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Esco: 23 November 1993
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 6 January 1994
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Grand Rapids: 10 December 2002
Installed Coadjutor Bishop of Grand Rapids: 12 February 2003
Succeeded as Tenth Bishop of Grand Rapids: 13 October 2003
Died: 16 May 2004

Bishop John Clayton NIENSTEDT
Born: 18 March 1947 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 27 July 1974
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Alton: 12 June 1996
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 9 July 1996
Appointed Third Bishop of New Ulm: 12 June 2001
Installed Bishop of New Ulm: 6 August 2001
Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: 24 April 2007
Succeeded as 10th Bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: 2 May 2008

Bishop Leonard Paul BLAIR
Born: 12 December 1949 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 26 June 1976
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Voncariana: 8 July 1999
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 24 August 1999
Appointed 7th Bishop of Toledo in America: 7 October 2003
Installed Bishop of Toledo: 4 December 2003

Bishop Earl Alfred BOYEA, Jr.
Born: 10 April 1951 (Pontiac, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 20 May 1978
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Siccenna: 22 July 2002
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 13 September 2002
Appointed 5th Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing: 27 February 2008
Installed Bishop of Lansing: 29 April 2008  

Bishop Walter Allison HURLEY
Born: 30 May 1937 (Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 5 June 1965
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Cunavia: 7 July 2003
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 12 August 2003
Appointed 11th Bishop of Grand Rapids in America: 21 June 2005
Installed Bishop of Grand Rapids: 4 August 2005

Bishop John Michael QUINN
Born: 17 December 1945 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 17 March 1972
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Ressiana: 7 July 2003
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 12 August 2003
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Winona: 15 October 2008
Installed Coadjutor Bishop of Winona: 11 December 2008
Succeded as 8th Bishop of Winona: 7 May 2009

Bishop Francis Ronald REISS
Born: 11 November 1940 (Detroit, Michigan)
Ordained Detroit Priest: 4 June 1966
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Remesiana: 7 July 2003
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 12 August 2003

Bishop Daniel Edward FLORES
Born: 28 August 1961 (Palacios, Texas)
Ordained Priest (Corpus Christi): 30 January 1988
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Cozyla: 28 October 2006
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 29 November 2006
Appointed 6th Bishop of Brownsville, TX: 9 December 2009
Installed Bishop of Brownsville: 2 February 2010

Bishop Donald Hanchon
Born: 9 October 1947
Ordained Priest: 19 October 1974
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Orreomargo: 22 March 2011
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 5 May 2011

Bishop Michael Byrnes
Born: 23 August 1958
Ordained Priest: 25 May 1996
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Eguga: 22 March 2011
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 5 May 2011

Bishop Arturo Cepeda
Born: 15 May 1969
Ordained Priest (San Antonio): 1 June 1996
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Tagase: 18 April 2011
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: 5 May 2011


Updated May 2011
History of the Archdiocese
History Books
Summary
Our Seal
History of Bishops
Jubilee 2000
Michigan Dioceses
175th Anniversary
This Month in History
Pop up windows may need to be enabled on your web browser to view all site features. Click here for help ...
To view any file in Portable Document Format (PDF) downloaded from this site, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader.