The Most Reverend William Edward Lori, S.T.D., was
installed as the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut,
on March 19, 2001.
 Born in Louisville, KY, in 1951, Bishop Lori obtained
a Bachelor’s Degree from the Seminary of Saint Pius X in Erlanger, KY,
in 1973, and a Master’s Degree from Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg,
MD, in 1977.
In 1982, Bishop Lori received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology
(S.T.D.) from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
Bishop Lori was ordained to the priesthood
for the Archdiocese of Washington by His Eminence, William Cardinal Baum,
in 1977 in Saint Matthew Cathedral in Washington, DC. His first assignment
was as Associate Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in Landover, MD. Thereafter,
he served as Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, and Secretary to His
Eminence, James Cardinal Hickey.
In 1995, Bishop Lori was ordained to the
episcopate as Auxiliary Bishop of Washington and Titular Bishop of Bulla.
Bishop Lori is Chairman of the Board of Trustees
of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, and past Chairman of The Catholic
University of America.
In 2005, Bishop Lori was appointed Supreme
Chaplain of the
Knights of Columbus.
Bishop Lori serves as Chairman of
the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, and is a
member of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities and the ad-hoc Committee
for the Defense of Marriage.
As Bishop of Bridgeport, Bishop Lori has launched new initiatives
to revitalize and expand Catholic Charities
and Catholic Education.
Catholic Charities, the largest private social services provider in the region,
provides one million meals each year to the needy, and has embarked on new
programs to assist immigrants and build affordable housing.
Changes in the
governance, funding, and curricula for the 39 Diocesan Catholic Schools,
which educate more than 13,000 children each year, have enhanced the high
level of academic achievement and faith-based education, making the dream
of Catholic education a reality for every child.
Bishop Lori visits with a member of the New Heights center in Danbury,
operated by Catholic Charities. (Photo by John Glover)
Vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious
life are a priority for Bishop Lori. Since becoming Bishop of Bridgeport
in 2001, he has ordained 29 priests and 32 permanent deacons. There
are 22 seminarians studying for the priesthood, with the Saint John
Fisher Seminary Residence in Stamford a thriving house of discernment
and formation.
Bishop Lori has also welcomed several orders of women
religious to
the Diocese of Bridgeport, including the Missionaries of Charity; the Franciscan
Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; the Institute of the Servants of
the Lord and Virgin of Matára; and a brand new religious institute, the Dominican
Sisters of Our Lady of the Springs of Bridgeport.
Bishop Lori walked with the nearly 1,800 Catholic school students
and parents from the Diocese of Bridgeport at the annual Walkathon for
Catholic Schools. Catholic schools and religious education are among
Bishop Lori's priorities. (Photo by John Glover)
In 2004, Bishop Lori dedicated "Villa
Maria Guadalupe" in Stamford, CT. The property was purchased by the
Knights of Columbus, who invited the Sisters of Life, a religious community
dedicated to protecting and advancing the sacredness of all human life, to
offer pro-life retreats for individuals and families.
Under Bishop Lori’s direction, the Diocese of Bridgeport has become a national
leader in the administrative and financial
practices of parishes, utilizing
cutting-edge, web-based technologies, internal controls, and streamlined
business processes. The results have enhanced accountability and transparency
among clergy and laity in all 87 parishes, and restored faith that the Catholic
Church is committed to sound stewardship of the resources
entrusted to its care.
Newly-ordained priests of
the Diocese of Bridgeport gather with their spiritual leader,
Bishop William
E. Lori, at Saint Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport, CT, after the May
16, 2009,
Ordination Mass (l-r): Father Bruce Roby, Father Sean Kulacz,
Father Sebastine Ukwandu,
Father Francisco Gómez-Franco, Father José Ignacio
Ortigas, and Father Reggie Norman.
(Photo by Michelle Babyak)
Finally, the Sisters of the Marian Community of Reconciliation
are overseeing a renewal of religious education for young people and for
adults, as well as the implementation of the new, five-year Pastoral
Plan,
"Following in the Footsteps of Christ," launched in October 2006.
Its mission of evangelization has been expressed in many ways, including
a renewal of youth ministry (including an annual “Fan the Fire” Youth Rally);
a Saint Augustine Lecture Series, and "Be
Reconciled to God," the first-ever
campaign to promote the Sacrament of Reconciliation, was conducted in 2009
in all 87 parishes during the Season of Lent.
Enhanced communications are a key component
of this new outreach, expressed best in Bishop Lori’s online “blog,” posted
on www.BishopLoriBlog.org.
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