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Gilbert Sheldon (Bishop of Steubenville)

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For Archbishop of Canterbury, see Gilbert Sheldon.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon
Bishop Emeritus of Steubenville
Bishop Sheldon in 1998
DioceseDiocese of Steubenville
AppointedJanuary 28, 1992
InstalledApril 2, 1992
Term endedMay 31, 2002
PredecessorAlbert Henry Ottenweller
SuccessorRobert Daniel Conlon
Previous post(s)
Orders
OrdinationFebruary 28, 1953
by Edward Francis Hoban
ConsecrationJune 11, 1976
by James Aloysius Hickey, Joseph Bernardin, and Clarence George Issenmann
Personal details
Born(1926-09-20)September 20, 1926
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedApril 24, 2023(2023-04-24) (aged 96)
MottoFortes in fide (Strong in faith)
Styles of
Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon (September 20, 1926 – April 24, 2023) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio between 1992 and 2002. Sheldon previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1976 to 1992.

Biography

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Early life

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Sheldon was born on September 20, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio, one of 12 children of Ignatius Peter and Stephania Josephine (née Olszewski) Solinski-Sheldon.[1] He received his early education at the parochial school of St. Phillip Neri Parish, and then attended Cathedral Latin High School In Chardon, Ohio.[1]

Sheldon studied at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, before beginning his studies for the priesthood at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Wickliffe, Ohio. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Mary.[1] Sheldon also received a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Ohio Consortium of Seminaries.[1]

Priesthood

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On February 28, 1953, Sheldon was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cleveland by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban.[2] After this ordination, between 1953 and 1964, Sheldon served as an associate pastor at St. Rose's Parish in Cleveland, St. Clare's Parish in Lyndhurst, Ohio, and Saints Philip and James Parish in Cleveland.[1] Sheldon served as diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1964 to 1974.[1]

From 1974 to 1976, Sheldon served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Oberlin, Ohio and episcopal vicar of Lorain Count, Ohio.[1] He also served as chaplain at Magnificat High School In Rocky River, Ohio, and of the West Park Knights of Columbus.[1] Sheldon was a notary and prosynodal judge for the diocesan tribunal, instructor at St. John's College in Cleveland and member of the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's Seminary and for Borromeo College in Wickliffe, Ohio.[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

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On April 12, 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed Sheldon as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland and titular bishop of Taparura.[2] He was consecrated on June 11 1976, by Bishop James A. Hickey, with then Archbishop Joseph Bernardin and Bishop Clarence G. Issenmann serving as co-consecrators.[2] As an auxiliary bishop, Sheldon was named vicar for marriage and family concerns (1976) and vicar of Summit County (1978).[1] In 1979, he became vicar of the Southern Region of the diocese, including Summit, Medina, Wayne, and Ashland Counties.[3]

Sheldon was director of missions when the archdiocese sponsored a mission in El Salvador, then in the midst of an insurgency.[3] On December 2, 1980, five members of the Salvadoran National Guard abducted, raped, and killed four American female missionaries in El Salvador. Two of the victims, Sister Dorothy Kazel and lay missionary Jean Donovan, came from the Archdiocese of Cleveland.[3]

Sheldon faced public controversy in 1984 when he asserted authority over the Bread of Life Community, a religious group that was accused of cult-like practices.[3] After an investigation, he chastised the group for unequal treatment of female members and for its doctrines; the group's official ecclesiastical authorization was withdrawn in 1985.[3]

Bishop of Steubenville

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On January 28, 1992, Sheldon was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville by Pope John Paul II.[2] As bishop, he presided over the newest and most sparsely populated of Ohio's six Catholic dioceses.[3]

Retirement and death

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After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Sheldon sent his letter of resignation as bishop of Steubenville to John Paul II. His resignation was accepted by the pope on May 31, 2002.[2] Sheldon was succeeded by Father Robert Conlon, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Sheldon died on April 24, 2023, at the age of 96.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Most Reverend Gilbert I. Sheldon". Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville. Archived from the original on 2012-09-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Haferd, Laura (1992-01-29). "NO MORE BISHOP; AKRON'S GILBERT SHELDON IS NAMED TO TAKE OVER STEUBENVILLE DIOCESE". Akron Beacon Journal.
  4. ^ Lynch, John (25 April 2023). "Local Bishop dies at the age of 96". WTRF. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
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Episcopal succession

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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Steubenville
1992–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Auxiliary Bishop of Taparura
1976–1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
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 Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland
1976–1992 		Succeeded by
—
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