| The Reverend Monsignor Jeffrey N. Steenson PA | |
|---|---|
| Ordinary emeritus of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter | |
| Appointed | January 1, 2012 |
| Installed | February 12, 2012 |
| Term ended | November 24, 2015 |
| Successor | Steven Joseph Lopes |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 29, 1980 (Episcopalian) February 21, 2009 (Catholic) by Michael J. Sheehan |
| Consecration | January 16, 2005 (Episcopalian) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1952-04-01) April 1, 1952 (age 72) Fort Rucker, Alabama |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Spouse | Debra Jane Steenson |
| Children | 3 |
Jeffrey Neil Steenson PA (born April 1, 1952) is an American retired priest and prelate of the Catholic Church and a former bishop of the Episcopal Church within the Anglican Communion. Steenson was the first ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter which was established for former Anglicans who have become Catholics. He was previously the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande from 2005 to 2007, when he resigned and was received into full communion with the Catholic Church.
Education
Steenson earned a B.A. from Trinity International University in 1974, an M.A. in church history from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1976, and an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School in 1978. He went on to earn a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford in 1983 with a dissertation entitled "Basil of Ancyra and the Course of Nicene Orthodoxy".
Episcopal Church ministry
Steenson was ordained as a priest of the Episcopal Church on June 29, 1980, and became a curate at All Saints' Church in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and later the rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania), and then St. Andrew's Church in Fort Worth, Texas.
In October 2004, Steenson was elected coadjutor bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande; he was consecrated on January 16, 2005. On August 1, 2005, he succeeded Terrence Kelshaw as Bishop of Rio Grande. Steenson was a member of the Board of Trustees of Nashotah House and the Board of Directors of The Living Church Foundation.
In September 2007, Steenson announced his decision to resign as bishop, effective December 1.
Roman Catholic ministry
Steenson was received into the full communion of the Catholic Church on December 1, 2007. Having petitioned for ordination in the Catholic Church under the Pastoral Provision, he began studies at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome.
Steenson was ordained a transitional deacon on December 13, 2008, by Cardinal Bernard Law, the archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. On February 21, 2009, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Steenson has taught at the University of Dallas (Rome campus), the University of St. Thomas in Houston, and at St. Mary's Seminary, also in Houston.
On January 1, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI named Steenson the first ordinary of the newly created Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter. He was installed as ordinary on February 12, 2012. Upon his appointment as ordinary, Steenson was granted the title protonotary apostolic, the highest rank of monsignor, by Pope Benedict XVI. Being married, Steenson is not eligible to be consecrated a Catholic bishop, but due to his position as ordinary, he was a full voting member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. At its founding, the ordinariate was said to have inquiries from over 100 Anglican priests and 1,400 people. Steenson resigned from the office of ordinary on November 24, 2015. His successor, Steven J. Lopes, was appointed on the same day.
After resigning from the office of ordinary, Steenson began teaching at the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity. He was the scholar-in-residence for two years, teaching classes on Patristics and Holy Orders, as well as serving as a formation director. He retired from this position in 2018.
Personal life
Steenson is married to Debra Jane Steenson, with whom he has three adult children. He is an avid amateur pilot and aircraft builder.
See also
- Historical list of the Episcopal bishops of the United States
- List of the Catholic bishops of the United States#Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter
References
- ^ "Erezione dell'Ordinariato Personale di the Chair of Saint Peter e Nomina del Primo Ordinario". Pontifical Acts: 1 January (in Italian). Pontifical Council for Social Communications. January 1, 2012. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- Sly, Randy (January 1, 2012). "It's Official and Historic - The Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter erected in America". Catholic Online. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- Daniels, Bruce (September 24, 2007). "Rio Grande Bishop to Resign". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- "History of the Diocese". Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande. Archived from the original on January 19, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- "Pastoral letter by Jeffrey Steenson, September 26, 2007". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- "Four bishops' renunciations of ministry accepted by Presiding Bishop". Episcopal News Service. February 12, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- "Monsignor Jeffrey Neil Steenson". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Former Episcopal bishop discusses his new life as Catholic priest". The Catholic Review. March 7, 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
- ^ Wooden, Cindy (March 6, 2009). "Former Episcopal bishop discusses his new life as Catholic priest". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on March 10, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- ^ Patel, Purva (12 Feb 2012). "Cardinals install Catholic convert in rarefied post". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 13 Feb 2012.
- Boorstein, Michelle (January 1, 2012). "Some Anglicans Apply to Join the Catholic Church". Washington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- "The priesthood of Melchizedek". The Catholic Spirit.
- Peoplefinders search on Jeffrey Neil Steenson.
- "Anglicans have new U.S. home in Catholic church". The Associated Press. January 1, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- "About the Ordinary". Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
External links
| Episcopal Church (USA) titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byTerence Kelshaw | Bishop of Rio Grande 2004–2007 |
Succeeded byMichael Vono |
| Catholic Church titles | ||
| New title | Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter 2012–2015 |
Succeeded bySteven Joseph Lopes as Bishop |
| Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ordinaries |  | |
| Churches | ||
| Priests | ||
- 1952 births
- Living people
- Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
- American Roman Catholic priests
- Anglican bishop converts to Roman Catholicism
- Harvard Divinity School alumni
- Trinity Evangelical Divinity School alumni
- Pontifical Irish College alumni
- Trinity International University alumni
- People from Fort Rucker, Alabama
- University of Dallas faculty
- Married Roman Catholic clergy
- People of the personal ordinariates
- American Anglo-Catholics
- Anglo-Catholic bishops
- Catholics from Alabama
- Episcopal bishops of the Rio Grande
- Anglican realignment people
- University of St. Thomas (Texas) faculty