![[OSB Arms]](../../graphics/arms0b.gif "OSB Arms")
Arranged by rank and the date of episcopal consecration.
born at Altötting (Passau) 23 May 1911; professed in the Abbey of Metten 17 May 1931; priest 25 August 1935; Abbot of Metten 3 November 1966; abbatial blessing 10 December 1966; Secretary of the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes 8 September 1971; named Titular Archbishop of Satriano 6 January 1972; consecrated 13 February 1972 at Rome, in Saint Peter`s Basilica, by His Holiness Pope Paul VI, assisted by Bernard Jan Cardinal Alfrink, Archbishop of Utrecht, and by William Cardinal Conway, Archbishop of Armagh; Pro-Prefect of the Congregation for the Sacraments and of the Congregation for Divine Worship 8 April 1984; Cardinal Deacon of San Anselmo all`Aventino 25 May 1985; Prefect of the Congregation for the Sacraments and of the Congregation for Divine Worship 27 May 1985; resigned as Prefect of both Congregations 1 July 1988; President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei from 2 July 1988 to 1 July 1991; Cardinal Priest of the Title of San Anselmo all`Aventino 29 January 1996; became oldest living cardinal 12 December 2007.
born at Patton (Altoona) 2 April 1927; professed in the Archabbey of Latrobe 23 September 1946; priest 24 June 1951; Coadjutor Archabbot of Latrobe 26 June 1963; abbatial blessing 29 August 1963; elected fifth Abbot Primate 29 September 1967; named Archbishop of Milwaukee 17 September 1977; consecrated 8 November 1977 at Milwaukee, in the Cathedral of Saint John, by Jean Jadot, Titular Archbishop of Zuri, Apostolic Delegate in the United States of America,assisted by William Edward Cousins, Archbishop emeritus of Milwaukee and by William Graham Connare, Bishop of Greensburg; resigned 24 May2002.
born at Chicago 7 May 1923; professed in the Abbey of Lisle - Saint Procopius 16 June 1944; priest 26 May 1949; Abbot of Lisle - Saint Procopius 8 July 1964; abbatial blessing 19 August 1964; resigned 1 June 1971; named Titular Bishop of Natchez and Auxiliary of Joliet in Illinois 30 May 1977; consecrated 21 July 1977 at Joliet, Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, by Romeo Roy Blanchette, Bishop of Joliet in Illinois, assisted by Andrew Gregory Grutka, Bishop of Gary, and by Raymond James Vonesh, Titular Bishop of Vanariona and Auxiliary of Joliet in Illinois; Apostolic Administrator of Joliet in Illinois from 30 January 1979 to 28 August 1979; Bishop of Salina 5 March 1980; Archbishop of Dubuque 16 December 1983; resigned 16 October 1995.
born at Jasper (Evansville) 20 April 1938; professed in the Archabbey of Saint Meinrad 15 August 1959; priest 3 May 1964; named Bishop of Memphis 16 January 1987; consecrated 2 March 1987 at Memphis, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, by Thomas Cajetan Kelly, O.P., Archbishop of Louisville, assisted by James Francis Stafford, Archbishop of Denver, and by Edward Thomas O'Meara, Archbishop of Indianapolis; Archbishop of Indianapolis 14 July 1992.
born at Brainard (Lincoln) 26 May 1940; professed in Conception Abbey 1 September 1961; priest 30 July 1966; Abbot of Conception Abbey 5 January1977; abbatial blessing 6 January 1977; named Bishop of Saint Cloud 6 July 1987; consecrated 1987, 24 August, at Collegeville, Abbey Church of Saint John, by John Robert Roach, Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, assisted by John Joseph Sullivan, Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, and by George Henry Speltz, Bishop emeritus of Saint Cloud; Coadjutor Archbishop of Dubuque 23 August 1994; succeeded to the metropolitan see of Dubuque 16 October 1995.
born at Oppido Lucano (Acerenza) 6 January 1939; professed 11 October 1955; priest 29 August 1965; Abbot Ordinary of Montevergine 29 November 1989; confirmed 20 January 1990; abbatial blessing 24 March 1990; named Bishop of Teggiano-Policastro 14 February 1998; consecrated 25 March 1998 at Montevergine, in the Basilica Cathedral of Santa Maria, by Michele Cardinal Giordano, Archbishop of Napoli, assisted by Gerardo Pierro, Archbishop of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno,and by Serafino Sprovieri, Archbishop of Benevento; resigned and named Archbishop ad personam and Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments 27 April 1999;Archbishop of Foggia-Bovino 2 August 2003.
born at Uzhavoor (Kottayam) 27 February 1953; priest 27 December 1978; professed in 1994; named Titular Bishop of Hólar and Auxiliary of Kottayam 6 November 1998; consecrated 6 January 1999 at Rome, in Saint Peter`s Basilica, by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, assisted by Giovanni Battista Re, Titular Archbishop of Vescovio and Substitute of the Secretariat of State for General Affairs, and by Francesco Monterisi, Titular Archbishop of Alba maritima and Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops; Coadjutor Bishop of Kottayam 29 August 2003; CoadjutorArchbishop of Kottayam 9 May 2005; succeeded to the Metropolitan seeof Kottayam 12 December 2005.
born at Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët (Coutances) 26 February 1946; professed 8 December 1965; solemn vows 8 December 1970; priest 24 August 1974; elected Abbot of Sainte-Anne de Kergonan 27 May 1983; named Bishop of Mende 16 October 2001; consecrated 6 January 2002 at Mende, in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de l`Assomption et Saint Privat by Paul Josepph Jean Cardinal Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, assisted by Jean-Pierre Bernard Ricard, Archbishop of Bordeaux, and Paul Émile Joseph Bertrand, Bishop emeritus of Mende; Archbishop of Toulouse 11 July 2006.
born Rio de Janeiro 8 July 1917; priest 19 December 1942; named Bishop of Nova Friburgo 23 April 1960; consecrated 25 July 1960 at Rio de Janeiro by Armando Lombardi, Titular Archbishop of Caesarea Philippi and Apostolic Nuncio to Brazil, assisted by Carlos Gouveia Coelho, Archbishop of Olinda e Recife, and by Daniel Tavarea Baeta Neves, Bishop of Januária; resigned 17 July 1992.
born at Ruti (Bukoba) 19 June 1919; priest 15 July 1950; named Titular Bishop of Balbura and Auxiliary of Bukoba 18 April 1961; consecrated 21 May 1961 at Rome, in Saint Peter`s Basilica, by His Holiness Pope John XXIII, assisted by Fulton John Sheen, Titular Bishop of Caesariana and Auxiliary of New York, and by Edoardo Mason, F.S.C.J., Titular Bishop of Rusicade and Vicar Apostolic of El Obeid; Apostolic Administrator of Kabale, Uganda, remaining Auxiliary of Bukoba, 1 February 1966; Bishop of Bukoba 6 March 1969; resigned 26 November 1973; professed in the monastery of Hanga 8 December 1984.
born at Beervelde (Gand) 23 August 1924; professed in the Abbey of Affligem 22 September 1947; priest 20 July 1952; Abbot of Pietersburg 18 December 1974; named Titular Bishop of Ausafa 10 July 1975; consecrated 14 September 1975 at Pietersburg, in the Abbey Church, by George Francis Daniel, Archbishop of Pretoria, assisted by Peter Fanyana John Butelezi, O.M.I., Bishop of Umtata, and by Thomas John Durkin, M.S.C., Bishop of Louis Trichardt-Tzaneen; first Bishop of Pietersburg 15 December 1988; resigned 17 February 2000.
born at Leonfelde (Linz) 5 September 1939; professed in the Abbey of Kremsmünster 18 August 1959; priest 15 August 1964; named first Bishop of Barreiras 21 May 1979; consecrated 11 July 1979 at Kremsmünster, in the Abbey Church, by Paul Augustin Mayer, O.S.B., Titular Archbishop of Satriano and Secretary of the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes, assisted by Franz Zauner, Bishop of Linz, and by Alois Wagner, Titular Bishop of Siccenna and Auxiliary of Linz.
born at Wien 26 December 1932; professed in the Abbey of Sankt Lambrecht 1 March 1955; priest 9 July 1959; Coadjutor Abbot of Sankt Lambrecht 27 May 1964; abbatial blessing 12 July 1964; succeeded as Abbot of Sankt Lambrecht 24 February 1977; named Bishop of Linz 15 December 1981; consecrated 17 January 1982 at Linz, in the Cathedral, by Franz Cardinal König, Archbishop of Wien, assisted by Franz Zauner, Bishop emeritus of Linz, and by Alois Wagner, Titular Bishop of Siccenna and Vice President of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum.”
born at Manado 29 July 1928; professed in the Abbey of Chevetogne 29 December 1955; priest 26 July 1959; named Titular Bishop of Leges and Auxiliary of Rotterdam 15 January 1982; consecrated 20 March 1982 at Rotterdam, in the Cathedral of Saints Lawrence and Elizabeth, by Adrianus Johannes Simonis, Bishop of Rotterdam, assisted by Martin Antoon Jansen, Bishop emeritus of Rotterdam, and by Theodorus Hendrik Zwartkruis, Bishop of Haarlem; Military Ordinary for the Netherlands 22 November 1982; Bishop of Rotterdam 19 October 1983, remaining Military Ordinary for the Netherlands; resigned from Rotterdam and the Military Ordinariate for the Netherlands 13 March 1993.
born at Ciano d`Enza (Reggio Emilia-Guastalla) 4 May 1922; professed in the Abbey of Parma 7 October 1939; priest 12 August 1945; Abbot of Parma 6 December 1979; abbatial blessing 13 January 1980; named Bishop of Ales e Terralba 23 March 1983; consecrated 25 April 1983 at Parma, in the Abbey Church of San Giovanni, by Sebastiano Cardinal Baggio, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Bishops, assisted by Francesco Spanedda, Archbishop of Oristano, and by Benito Cocchi, Bishop of Parma; Bishop of Ales-Terralba 30 September 1986; Bishop of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla 11 July 1989; resigned 27 June 1998.
born at Millinocket (Portland) 12 September 1928; professed in the Saint Anselm's Abbey, Manchester 2 July 1948; priest 12 June 1954; Abbot of Saint Anselm's, Manchester, 6 January 1972; abbatial blessing 11 January 1972; named Titular Bishop of Praecausa and Auxiliary of Manchester 4 February 1986; consecrated 21 April 1986 at Manchester, Cathedral of Saint Joseph, by Odore Joseph Gendron, Bishop of Manchester, assisted by Ernest John Primeau, Bishop emeritus of Manchester, and by Robert Edward Mulvee, Bishop of Wilmington; Bishop of Portland 21 December 1988; resigned 10 February 2004.
born at Schwyz (Chur) 3 February 1930; professed in the Abbey of Einsiedeln 8 September 1950; priest 12 June 1954; named Titular Bishop f Cenae and Auxiliary of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg 3 February 1987; consecrated 12 April 1987 at Fribourg, Saint Nicholas Cathedral, by Pierre Mamie, Bishop of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg, assisted by Gabriel Bullet, Titular Bishop of Glavinitza and Auxiliary of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg, and by Henri Schwery, Bishop of Sion; Bishop of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg 9 November 1995; Bishop of Chur 12 June 1998; resigned 5 February 2007.
born at Sopron (Gyor) 26 January 1946; professed in the Archabbey of Pannonhalma 15 August 1965; priest 29 August 1971; named Titular Bishop of Culusi and Auxiliary of Esztergom 23 December 1988; consecrated 11 February 1989 at Esztergom, in the Basilica, by László ardinal Paskai, O.F.M., Archbishop of Esztergom, assisted by László Danko, Archbishop of Kalocsa, and by István Seregély, Archbishop of Eger; Abbot of Pannonhalma 5 January 1991; confirmed as Abbot Ordinary of Pannonhalma 18 March 1991.
born at Scott City (Dodge City) 25 May 1933; professed in Saint Benedict`s Abbey, Atchison, 11 July 1954; priest 26 May 1960; named Bishop Prelate of Cristalândia 20 June 1990; consecrated 2 September 1990 at Atchison, in Saint Benedict`s Abbey Church, by Matthias William Schmidt, O.S.B., Bishop of Ruy Barbosa, assisted by Ignatius Jerome Strecker, Archbishop of Kansas City, and by Frederick William Freking, Bishop emeritus of La Crosse.
born at Twickenham (Westminster) 4 December 1928; professed in Ampleforth Abbey 25 September 1951; priest 21 July 1957; Abbot of Ampleforth 7 April 1976; abbatial blessing 4 May 1976; resigned in March 1984; named Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle 11 January 1992; consecrated 20 March 1992 at Newcastle upon Tyne, in Saint Mary`s Cathedral, by Derek John Worlock, Archbishop of Liverpool, assisted by Hugh Lindsay, Bishop emeritus of Hexham and Newcastle, and by Owen Swindlehurst, Titular Bishop of Cuncacestre and Auxiliary of Hexham and Newcastle; resigned 26 March 2004.
born at Schäphuysen (Munster) 8 June 1929; professed in the Archabbey of Saint Ottilien 16 September 1954; priest 21 September 1957; Archabbot of Saint Ottilien 8 January 1975; abbatial blessing 2 February 1975; Abbot Primate from 22 September 1977 to 19 September 1992; named Bishop of Augsburg 24 December 1992; consecrated 30 January1993 at Augsburg, in the Cathedral, by Friedrich Cardinal Wetter, Archbishop of München und Freising, assisted by Lajos Kada, Titular Archbishop of Thibica, Apostolic Nuncio in Germany, and by Josef Stimpfle, Archbishop Bishop emeritus of Augsburg; resigned 9 June 2004.
born at Buenos Aires 23 October 1940; professed in the Abbey of San Benito 11 February 1961; priest 5 janv 1971; named Prior Administrator of San Benito 5 March 1971; conventual Prior of San Benito 18 November 1976; Abbot of San Benito 9 February 1983; abbatial blessing 22 February 1983; Apostolic Administrator of Nueve de Julio, sede vacante, 21 September 1998; named Bishop of Nueve de Julio 6 July 1999; consecrated 14 September 1999 at Luján, in the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Luján, by Carlos Walter Galán, Archbishop of La Plata, assisted by Emilio Ogñénovich, Archbishop of Mercedes-Luján, and by Estanislao Esteban Karlic, Archbishop of Paraná.
born at Juçaral, Cabo de Santo Agostinho (Olinda e Recife) 10 June 1947; professed in the Abbey of São Bento, Olinda, 21 March 1978; priest 17 December 1983; named Titular Bishop of Tacia montana and Auxiliary of Olinda e Recife 31 May 2000; consecrated 20 August 2000 at Recife, in the Ginásio de Esportes Geraldo Magalhães (Geraldão), by José Cardoso Sobrinho, O.Carm., Archbishop of Olinda e Recife, assisted by Marcelo Pinto Carvalheira, Archbishop of Paraíba, and by Clemente José Carlos Isnard, O.S.B., Bishop emeritus of Nova Friburgo; Bishop of Sobral 18 May 2005.
born at Alexandria, Egypt, 16 October 1933; professed 29 September 1953; priest 13 July 1958; elected Abbot of Belmont 1 September 1993; received the abbatial blessing 12 November 1993; named Coadjutor Bishop of Menevia 7 November 2000; consecrated 7 December 2000 at Swansea, Wales, in the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, by Daniel Joseph Mullins, Bishop of Menevia, assisted by Edwin Regan, Bishop of Wrexham, and Michael Ambrose Griffiths, O.S.B., Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle; succeeded to the see of Menevia 12 June 2001.
born at Cleveland, Ohio 26 March 1937; professed 11 July 1957; priest 16 May 1953; elected Abbot of Saint Andrew`s Abbey 9 June 1981; received the abbatial blessing 30 August 1981; named Titular Bishop of Praesidium and Auxiliary of Cleveland 3 April 2001; consecrated 7 June 2001 at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Cleveland, Ohio, by Anthony Michael Pilla, Bishop of Cleveland, assisted by Alexander James Quinn, Titular Bishop of Socia and Auxiliary of Cleveland, and Anthony Edward Pevec, Titular Bishop of Mercia and former Auxiliary of Cleveland.
born at Point-à-Pierre, Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain) 3 December 1951; professed 8 December 1975; priest 7 July 1985; elected Abbot of Tunapuna 24 October 1995; received the abbatial blessings10 December 1995; named Bishop of Georgetown 30 October 2003; consecrated 30 January 2004 at Georgetown, Guyana, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, by Edward Joseph Gilbert, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Port of Spain, assisted by Lawrence Aloysius Burke, S.J., Archbishop of Kingston in Jamaica, and Benedict Singh, Bishop emeritus of Georgetown.
born at Veroli, Italy, 20 August 1940; professed 30 September 1962; priest 4 June 1966; elected Abbot Ordinary of Montecassino 19 June 1983; received the abbatial blessing 25 April 1983; named Titular Bishop of Minturno 13 April 2004; consecrated 16 May 2004 at Montecassino, in the Cathedral Basilica, by Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, assisted by Francisco Pio Tamburrino, O.S.B., Archbishop of Foggia-Bovino, and Imre Asztrik Várszegi, O.S.B., Titiular Bishop of Culusi and Abbot Ordinary of Pannonhalma.
born at Aracaju, Brazil, 3 November 1964; priest 21 March 1993; named Titular Bishop of Ficus and Auxiliary of São Salvador da Bahia 7 June 2006; consecrated 29 July 2006 at Salvador, Brazil, in the Cathedral Basilica, by Geraldo Majella Cardinal Agnelo, Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia, assisted by João Carlos Petrini, Titular Bishop of Augurus and Auxiliary of São Salvador da Bahia, and Josafá Menezes da Silva, Titular Bishop of Gummi in Byzacena and Auxiliary of São Salvador da Bahia.
29. Gregor Maria Franz Hanke OSB
born at Elbersroth, Germany (Eichstätt) 2 July 1954; priest 10 September 1983; elected Abbot of Plankstetten 13 July 1993; received the abbatial blessing 2 October 1993; named Bishop of Eichstätt 14 October 2006; consecrated 2 December 2006 at Eichstätt, in the Cathedral, by Ludwig Schick, Archbishop of Bamberg, assisted by Walter Mixa, Bishop of Augsburg, and Gabriel Akwasi Abiabo Mante, Bishop of Jasikan.
30. Cletus Chandrasiri Perera OSBSilv
born at Seeduwa, Sri Lanka (Colombo) 6 September 1947; professed 28 February 1965; solemn vows 17 February 1971; priest 4 August 1973; named Bishop of Ratnapura 4 May 2007; consecrated 11 July 2007 at Rome, in the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles, by Joseph Vianney Fernando, Bishop of Kandy, assisted by Albert Malcolm Ranjity Patabendige Don, Titular Archbishop of Umbriatico and Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Galle and Apostolic Administrator of Ratnapura.
Twenty-nine of the 30 bishops above trace their episcopal lineage back to Scipione Rebiba in 1541. Bishop Varszegi, is non-Rebiban, and he goes back to Jakub Uchanski in 1552 -- the Polish lineage. Bishop Alleyne is one of the few bishops of the Roman rite to have a Maronite lineage. His consecrator, Archbishop Gilbert, was consecrated by Archbishop Kelvin Felix of Castries, who was in turn consecrated by the then Apostolic Delegate in the Antilles, Archbishop Paul F. Tabet, a Maronite.
Information about the monk-bishops, their consecrators and episcopal lineage graciously supplied by Charles N. Bransom Jr., author of Ordinations of U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1790-1989 (US Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1990).
In more than 25 years as Pope, H.H. John Paul II (1920-2005) held eight consistories in which he created 201 cardinals. He announced the ninth such consistory on 28 September 2003, naming 30 new cardinals, including one "in pectore" (secretly). From the start of his pontificate in 1978, John Paul II named more than 3,300 of the world's bishops. In 2003 John Paul II established ten new episcopal sees and one apostolic vicariate. Six metropolitan sees were constituted; he appointed 175 new bishops. -- Pontifical Statistical Yearbook, 2005.
In his first consistory on 24 March 2006, H.H. Pope Benedict XVI installed 15 new cardinals raising the number in the College of Cardinals to 193 members. Of the total, 120 are would-be electors; i.e., under 80 years old. -- Zenit.
In 2002 there were 4,695 bishops, 405,058 priests (267,334 are diocesan) and 30,097 permanent deacons worldwide. The number of male religious who are not priests reaches 54,828. Women religious number 782,932 (51,371 of them are contemplatives). Members of secular institutes total 29,766. There are 143,745 lay missionaries and 2,767,451 catechists. 17.2% of the world's population are baptized Catholics (1.07 billion). -- Pontifical Statistical Yearbook, 2002.
The Abbots Primate | Catholic Hierarchy
OSB Index | The Confederation
Geographic Index | International