His Excellency. The Most Reverend

Carl Frederick Mengeling

S.T.D.
Bishop Emeritus of Lansing
ChurchRoman Catholic
SeeDiocese of Lansing
AppointedNovember 7, 1995
InstalledJanuary 25, 1996
RetiredFebruary 27, 2008
PredecessorKenneth Joseph Povish
SuccessorEarl Boyea
Orders
OrdinationMay 25, 1957
by Andrew Gregory Grutka
ConsecrationJanuary 25, 1996
by Adam Maida, Kenneth Joseph Povish, and Dale Joseph Melczek
Personal details
Born (1930-10-22) October 22, 1930
Hammond, Indiana, US
ParentsCarl and Augusta (née Huke) Mengeling
EducationSaint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
Alphonsian Academy
Motto"He must increase"
Styles of
Carl Frederick Mengeling
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Carl Frederick Mengeling S.T.D (born October 22, 1930) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Lansing in Michigan from 1996 to 2008.

Biography

Mengeling was born on October 22, 1930, in Hammond, Indiana, to Carl H. and Augusta Huke Mengeling. Raised in a Lutheran family, Mengeling converted to Catholicism at age nine. He attended St. Mary Elementary School in Griffith, Indiana, and graduated from Griffith High School in 1948. Mengeling then entered St. Meinrad College and Seminary in Saint Meinrad, Indiana.[1]

Priesthood

On May 25, 1957, Mengeling was ordained to the priesthood for the new Diocese of Gary by Bishop Andrew Grutka at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary, Indiana. After his ordination, Mengeling became associate pastor of St. Mark's Parish in Gary.[1] In 1961, Mengeling entered the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, obtaining his Licentiate of Sacred Theology. He also attended the Alphonsian Academy in Rome, earning a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree. Mengeling acted as a page during some sessions of the Second Vatican Council.[2]

After returning to Indiana in 1964, Mengeling began teaching at Bishop Noll High School in Hammond, Indiana, St. Joseph Calumet College in East Chicago, Indiana, and St. Procopius Seminary in Lisle, Illinois.[1] In 1968, Mengeling became pastor of All Saints Parish in Hammond, Indiana, then in 1970 was transferred to Holy Name Parish in Cedar Lake, Indiana. In 1971, Mengeling was named pastor of Nativity of Our Savior Parish in Portage, Indiana, serving there until 1985.

Raised by the Vatican to the title of monsignor in June 1984, Mengeling chaired the Diocesan Worship Commission and the Vocations Committee in Gary. He also founded the diocesan Institute of Religion and chaired it for 14 years. Mengeling also served on the Presbyteral Council, the Ecumenical Commission and the Permanent Diaconate Formation team. In 1985, Mengeling was appointed pastor of St. Thomas More Parish in Munster, Indiana.[1]

Bishop of Lansing

On November 7, 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed Mengeling as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Lansing,[2][3][4] He received his episcopal consecration on January 25, 1996, from Cardinal Adam Maida, with Bishops Kenneth Povish and Dale Melczek serving as co-consecrators, in St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing, Michigan. Mengeling selected as his episcopal motto: "He must increase", from John 3:30.[5] During his tenure, Mengeling opened several parochial schools and churches. He also involved himself with the activities of Hispanic, Vietnamese, and African-American Catholics in his diocese.[1]

In 2002, Mengeling removed from ministry Vincent DeLorenzo from a Flint, Michigan parish. A young man had accused DeLorenzo of sexually abusing him when he was a minor and DeLorenzo had admitted his guilt. The diocese forwarded the accusation to the Genesee County Michigan district attorney and asked the Vatican to defrock DeLorenzo.[6] In 2003, In response to sexual misconduct scandals among the clergy, Mengeling instituted the Virtus program and visited retreats for victims of sexual abuse.[1] Also in 2003, he issued a statement on the war in Iraq, calling for "...a swift end to hostilities and commitment to reconciliation."[7]

Pope Benedict VI accepted Mengeling's retirement as bishop of Lansing on February 27, 2008. He was succeeded by Bishop Earl Boyea.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bishop Emeritus Carl F. Mengeling". Diocese of Lansing. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  2. 1 2 "The past four bishops of Lansing". Faith Magazine. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  3. ↑ "History of the bishops of Lansing". Diocese of Lansing. Archived from the original on September 17, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  4. ↑ "History of the bishops of Lansing, Archdiocese of Lansing home page and history". Archived from the original on September 17, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Douay-Rheims Bible, John Chapter 3". www.drbo.org.
  6. ↑ "Flint-area Catholic priest sexually abused boy for 5 years, affidavit says". mlive. 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  7. ↑ Statement of War in Iraq, USCCB.org, March 20, 2003.
  8. ↑ "Detroit auxiliary bishop will head Diocese of Lansing". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  9. ↑ "The Diocese of Lansing's fourth bishop retires". Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2010-04-18.

Episcopal succession

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