Gilbert Sheldon (Bishop of Steubenville)

American prelate of the Catholic Church (1926–2023) For Archbishop of Canterbury, see Gilbert Sheldon.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon
Bishop Emeritus of Steubenville
Bishop Sheldon in 1998
Diocese	Diocese of Steubenville
Appointed	January 28, 1992
Installed	April 2, 1992
Term ended	May 31, 2002
Predecessor	Albert Henry Ottenweller
Successor	Robert Daniel Conlon
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland and Titular Bishop of Taparura (1976–1992)
Orders
Ordination	February 28, 1953 by Edward Francis Hoban
Consecration	June 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.
Died	April 24, 2023(2023-04-24) (aged 96)
Motto	Fortes in fide (Strong in faith)

Styles of Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon

Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

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

Early life

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

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. Sheldon also received a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Ohio Consortium of Seminaries.

Priesthood

On February 28, 1953, Sheldon was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cleveland by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban. 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. Sheldon served as diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1964 to 1974.

From 1974 to 1976, Sheldon served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Oberlin, Ohio and episcopal vicar of Lorain Count, Ohio. He also served as chaplain at Magnificat High School In Rocky River, Ohio, and of the West Park Knights of Columbus. 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.

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

On April 12, 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed Sheldon as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland and titular bishop of Taparura. 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. As an auxiliary bishop, Sheldon was named vicar for marriage and family concerns (1976) and vicar of Summit County (1978). In 1979, he became vicar of the Southern Region of the diocese, including Summit, Medina, Wayne, and Ashland Counties.

Sheldon was director of missions when the archdiocese sponsored a mission in El Salvador, then in the midst of an insurgency. 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.

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. 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.

Bishop of Steubenville

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

Retirement and death

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. 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.

References

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

External links

Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville Official Site

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded byAlbert Henry Ottenweller	Bishop of Steubenville 1992–2002	Succeeded byRobert Daniel Conlon
Preceded byMark Kenny Carroll	Auxiliary Bishop of Taparura 1976–1992	Succeeded byPietro Gabrielli
Preceded by—	Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland 1976–1992	Succeeded by—

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
Bishops	Anthony Mussio Albert Ottenweller Gilbert Sheldon Robert Conlon Jeffrey Monforton
Churches	Cathedral Holy Name Cathedral Basilica Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, Marietta Parishes Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Fulda St. Henry's Catholic Church, Harriettsville St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, Morges
Education	Higher education Franciscan University of Steubenville High schools Catholic Central High School, Steubenville St. John Central High School, Bellaire Saint Joseph Central High School, Ironton
Other	Franciscan Sisters of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Bishops	Ordinaries Louis Amadeus Rappe Richard Gilmour Ignatius Frederick Horstmann John Patrick Farrelly Joseph Schrembs Edward Francis Hoban Clarence George Issenmann James Aloysius Hickey Anthony Michael Pilla Richard Gerard Lennon Nelson J. Pérez Edward Charles Malesic Auxiliaries Joseph Maria Koudelka James A. McFadden William Michael Cosgrove John Raphael Hagan Floyd Lawrence Begin John Krol Clarence Edward Elwell John Francis Whealon Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon Michael Joseph Murphy James Anthony Griffin James Patterson Lyke Anthony Edward Pevec Alexander James Quinn Martin John Amos Roger William Gries Michael G. Woost
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Cathedral Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Parishes Holy Rosary Church, Cleveland Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Cleveland St. Barbara Church, Cleveland St. Casimir Church, Cleveland St. Elizabeth's Magyar Church, Cleveland St. Michael the Archangel Church, Cleveland St. Paul's Church, Cleveland St. Peter Church, Cleveland Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, Cleveland St. Stephen Church, Cleveland St. Vitus's Church, Cleveland St. Mary's Church, Elyria Immaculate Conception Church, Grafton St. Martin's Church, Valley City St. Patrick's Church, Wellington Former parishes Annunciation Church, Cleveland Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Cleveland St. Joseph's Church, Cleveland St. Mary's on the Flats, Cleveland Transfiguration Church, Cleveland St. Ladislaus Church, Lorain
Higher education	Colleges & universities John Carroll University Ursuline College Seminary Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology Former colleges Notre Dame College St. John's College, Cleveland
Priests	Timothy P. Broglio John Dearden Raymond Joseph Gallagher Louis de Goesbriand Paul John Hallinan Joseph Patrick Hurley Charles Hubert Le Blond Edward Aloysius Mooney Thomas Charles O'Reilly Michael Joseph Ready John Patrick Treacy
Miscellany	St. Joseph Convent and Academy Complex 7th National Eucharistic Congress (United States)
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