His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Robert Milner Coerver
Bishop of Lubbock
ArchdioceseSan Antonio
DioceseLubbock
AppointedSeptember 27, 2016
InstalledNovember 21, 2016
PredecessorPlácido Rodriguez
Orders
OrdinationJune 27, 1980 (40 years ago)
by Thomas Ambrose Tschoepe
ConsecrationNovember 21, 2016
by Gustavo García-Siller, Gregory Kelly, and Plácido Rodriguez
Personal details
Born (1954-06-06) June 6, 1954
Dallas, Texas, US
MottoSuscipe Domine
(Take it, Lord)
Styles of
Robert Milner Coerver
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Robert Milner Coerver (born June 6, 1954) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the bishop for the Diocese of Lubbock since 2016.

Biography

Early life

Robert Coerver was born on June 6, 1954, in Dallas, Texas. He earned a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also received a Master of Counseling and Guidance degree from Texas A & M University—Commerce in Commerce, Texas.[1]

Priesthood

On June 27, 1980, Coerver was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas Ambrose Tschoepe for the Diocese of Dallas. After his ordination, Coerver served as assistant pastor at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Dallas, Texas and at Saint Elizabeth Seton Parish in Plano, Texas. He was appointed as director of spiritual formation at Holy Trinity Seminary on the campus of the University of Dallas, holding that position for 11 years.[1]

Coerver was appointed as spirituality consultant to diocesan programs in 1996. In July 1997, he was also named director of the Office of Sacramental Life for the diocese. In 2003, Coerver was appointed director of priestly life and ministry.[1]

In December 2004, Pope John Paul II named Coerver a prelate of honor with the title "monsignor." In 2005, Coerver began serving as pastoral administrator at Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Rockwall Texas, becoming pastor there in 2006. He was transferred in July 2010 to serve as pastor of St. Rita Parish in Dallas.[1]

Bishop of Lubbock

Pope Francis appointed Coerver as bishop of the Diocese of Lubbock on September 27, 2016.[2][3] He was installed and consecrated by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller at Christ the King Cathedral in Lubbock on November 21, 2016.[1][4]

On January 21, 2019, Coerver released a list of clerics with credible accusations of sexual abuse.[5] One name on that list was that of Jesus Guerrero, a retired deacon who had been accused in 1997 and 2007 of having an inappropriate relationship with an adult female parishioner alleged to have mental problems. Guerrero sued the diocese in March 2019 for defamation, saying that he had never been accused of sexual abuse with a minor. When the state court refused to dismiss the case, the diocese appealed the decision to the Texas Supreme Court.[6][7] The court dismissed Guerrero's lawsuit in June 2021, citing the First Amendment rights under the US Constitution of churches to manage their own affairs.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Catholic Diocese of Lubbock". catholiclubbock.org. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  2. ↑ "Pope Names Dallas Priest as Bishop of Lubbock, Texas; Accepts Resignation of Bishop Rodríguez". Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Diocese of Lubbock Announces Appointment of Third Bishop". Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  5. ↑ Cantu, Michael A. (February 2019). "Lubbock diocese releases names of priests accused of sexual abuse". www.kcbd.com. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  6. ↑ "Former deacon's lawsuit against Texas diocese goes to state Supreme Court". National Catholic Reporter. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  7. ↑ CNA. "Texas Supreme Court to hear case of former deacon suing diocese for abuse claim". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  8. ↑ CNA. "State supreme court rejects defamation lawsuit against diocese". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2022-01-04.


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