Misplaced Pages

Styles of Daniel William Kucera
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop

Daniel William Kucera, OSB (Czech pronunciation ; May 7, 1923 – May 30, 2017) was a bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as an Auxiliary Bishop in Joliet (1977–1980), the Bishop of Salina (1980–1983), and as the Archbishop of Dubuque (1983–1995).

Early life and ministry

Kucera was born in a Czech family in Chicago, Illinois, on May 7, 1923, and given the name William. His parents were Joseph F. and Lillian (Petrzelka) Kucera.

Kucera was educated at St. Procopius College (now known as Benedictine University) in Lisle, Illinois. He took the religious name of Daniel when he professed religious vows June 16, 1944, at St. Procopius Abbey in the Order of Saint Benedict. On May 26, 1949, he was ordained a priest. Kucera earned a doctorate in education from The Catholic University of America in 1954. His background in education has led Vatican officials — including the Pope — to ask his advice on educational matters. He served in various administrative positions at St. Procopius College until he was named the college's president. On July 8, 1964, he was elected Abbot of St. Procopius Abbey and received his abbatial blessing on August 19, 1964. He served as abbot until June 1, 1971, when he resigned to become the college's president again.

On June 6, 1977, Pope Paul VI named Kucera Titular Bishop of Natchesium and Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet. He was consecrated by Bishop Romeo Roy Blanchette of Joliet. Bishops Andrew Grutka of Gary and Raymond Vonesh, auxiliary bishop of Joliet, served as primary co-consecrators.

Bishop of Salina

On March 5, 1980, Pope John Paul II appointed Kucera as the eighth bishop of Salina, in the state of Kansas. He was formally installed in Sacred Heart Cathedral on May 7, 1980, by Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker of Kansas City in Kansas. During his three years as bishop of the diocese the Diocesan Office of Planning, the Bishop's Council for Catholic Education and the Office of Youth Ministries were established. The diocese hired a business manager, and the chancery and other administrative offices of the diocese were moved to a larger building downtown. Marymount College in Salina became a diocesan institution after the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia decided they were no longer able to continue ownership. The college closed in 1989.

Archbishop of Dubuque

On December 20, 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Kucera as the tenth bishop and eighth archbishop of Dubuque. He was installed as archbishop on February 23, 1984, at the Five Flags Civic Center in Dubuque. One of the first decisions he made was to sell the old episcopal residence and move to a more modest house in Dubuque.

Kucera set about reorganizing the archdiocese. This was accomplished by reorganizing or creating archdiocesan boards, and established the first Archbishop's Cabinet to coordinate the running of the archdiocese. The archdiocese was divided into three regions: Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo with a bishop in each region. The number of deaneries were reduced from 16 to 14. Kucera appointed a woman religious chancellor, and two lay people were named to archdiocesan offices. He also had revised guidelines for the Sacrament of Confirmation published in 1986. On November 30, 1986, Kucera issued a proclamation announcing the 150th anniversary of the archdiocese's founding. Various celebrations were held throughout the following year including a large scale liturgy at the Five Flags Center celebrated by Archbishop Pio Laghi, the Papal Pro-Nuncio to the United States. He also approved a controversial renovation of St. Raphael's Cathedral.

In 1994, he requested the appointment of a coadjutor. Bishop Jerome Hanus of Saint Cloud was assigned as Coadjutor Archbishop of Dubuque. On October 16, 1995, Pope John Paul II accepted Kucera's resignation, and he was named archbishop emeritus.

Later life and death

By 2013 Kucera had moved back to Dubuque after living in Aurora, Colorado, for a number of years. On May 31, 2017, church officials confirmed that Kucera had died at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque on May 30, 2017, at the age of 94. His funeral was held at St. Raphael's Cathedral in Dubuque, and he was interred in the cemetery of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle.

See also

• Biography
• Catholicism
• Iowa

• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

References

1. ^ "KUCERA, Daniel". Encyclopediadubuque.org. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
2. ^ Bunson, Matthew (2010). 2010 Catholic Almanac. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor. p. 405. ISBN 9781592766147.
3. "Benedictine Monks Consecrated Bishops". Order of St. Benedict. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
4. "Archbishop Daniel William Kucera, O.S.B." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
5. "History - Catholic Diocese of Salina". Archived from the original on May 24, 2010. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
6. ^ New Catholic Encyclopedia, Second Edition. Vol. 4. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America. 2003. p. 924.
7. "Retired Dubuque archbishop, 8th in archdiocese history, dies at age 94". Dubuque, Iowa: Telegraph Herald. May 31, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2017.

Episcopal succession

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
Ordinaries	Bishops Mathias Loras Clement Smyth Archbishops John Hennessy John Keane James Keane Francis Beckman Henry Rohlman Leo Binz James Byrne Daniel Kucera Jerome Hanus Michael Jackels Thomas Robert Zinkula
Auxiliary bishops	Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald Loras Thomas Lane George Biskup Loras Joseph Watters Francis John Dunn William Edwin Franklin
Churches	Cathedral St. Raphael's Cathedral, Dubuque Parishes Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, Dyersville St. John XXIII, Cedar Rapids Holy Ghost, Dubuque Holy Trinity, Luxemburg Sacred Heart, Dubuque Sacred Heart, Fillmore St. Boniface, New Vienna St. Donatus, St. Donatus St. Joseph, Elkader St. Joseph, Key West Saint Joseph the Worker, Dubuque St. Martin, Cascade St. Mary, Guttenberg St. Patrick, Dubuque St. Patrick, Garryowen St. Lawrence, Otter Creek St. Paul, Worthington Saints Peter and Paul, Petersburg Former parishes Saint Joseph's Prairie Church St. Mary, Dubuque St. Joseph, Stone City
Education	Higher education Clarke University Divine Word College Loras College Mount Mercy University St. Pius X Seminary, Dubuque High schools Beckman High School, Dyersville Columbus High School, Waterloo Don Bosco High School, Gilbertville Marquette High School, Bellevue Newman Catholic High School, Mason City Wahlert High School, Dubuque Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids Primary schools Mazzuchelli Middle School, Dubuque Holy Family Catholic Schools, Dubuque St. Mary's School, Guttenberg Former schools Sacred Heart School, Dubuque St. Luke's School, St. Lucas
Religious orders	New Melleray Abbey Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Priests	John George Alleman John Patrick Carroll James Vincent Casey Joseph Crétin Justin Albert Driscoll Thomas William Drumm Raymond Philip Etteldorf Daniel Mary Gorman Edward Howard William Michael Joensen Louis Benedict Kucera Mathias Clement Lenihan Thomas Mathias Lenihan William Menster J. A. M. Pelamourgues Aloysius Schmitt Joseph Clement Willging Thomas Zinkula
Miscellany	Mount Saint Bernard Seminary and Barn Our Mother of Sorrows Grotto Historic District
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina
Ordinaries	Bishops of Concordia Richard Scannell John Francis Cunningham Francis Joseph Tief Bishops of Salina Francis Augustine Thill Frederick William Freking Cyril John Vogel Daniel Kucera George Kinzie Fitzsimons Paul Stagg Coakley Edward Weisenburger Gerald Lee Vincke
Churches	Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Parishes St. John the Baptist Church, Beloit St. Joseph Church, Damar St. Joseph's Church, Hays Seven Dolors Church, Manhattan Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria
Education	High schools Sacred Heart High School, Salina St. John's Catholic High School, Beloit St. Xavier High School, Junction City Thomas More Prep-Marian, Hays Tipton Catholic High School, Tipton Former Marymount College
Miscellany	Roman Catholic Diocese of Concordia Nazareth Convent and Academy
Priests	Thaddeus J. Butler
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet
Bishops	Ordinaries Martin Dewey McNamara Romeo Roy Blanchette Joseph Leopold Imesch J. Peter Sartain Robert Daniel Conlon Ronald Aldon Hicks Auxiliaries Raymond James Vonesh Daniel Kucera Daniel L. Ryan Roger Kaffer James Edward Fitzgerald Joseph M. Siegel Dennis E. Spies
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus Parishes Sacred Heart Church, Lombard St. Mary's Church, Beaverville
Education	Higher education Benedictine University Lewis University University of St. Francis High schools Benet Academy, Lisle Bishop McNamara High School, Kankakee Chesterton Academy of the Holy Family, Lisle IC Catholic Prep, Elmhurst Joliet Catholic Academy, Joliet Montini Catholic High School, Lombard Providence Catholic High School, New Lenox St. Francis High School, Wheaton Elementary school Sacred Heart School, Lombard
Catholic Church portal

• 1923 births
• 2017 deaths
• 20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United States
• Roman Catholic archbishops of Dubuque
• American Benedictines
• Benedictine abbots
• Benedictine bishops
• Benedictine University faculty
• Catholic University of America alumni
• Roman Catholic bishops of Salina
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois
• Religious leaders from Illinois
• American people of Czech descent
• 20th-century Christian abbots