Charles Albert Buswell
Encyclopedia
Charles Albert Buswell was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
who served as Bishop of Pueblo
from 1959 to 1979. At the time of his death, he was one of the oldest bishops in the Church.
, Oklahoma
, to Charles and Bridget Buswell. However, the family moved to Oklahoma City
shortly afterwards. He received his primary
and secondary education
at the cathedral
’s St. Joseph School, studied for two years at St. Benedict’s College
in Atchison
, Kansas
, and then entered St. Louis Preparatory Seminary in Webster Groves
, Missouri
, in 1933.
After studying theology
at [Kenrick-Glennon Seminary] in St. Louis
, Buswell entered in 1936 the American College
in Leuven
, Belgium
, where he was known as "both a serious student and a congenial companion among his fellow seminarians
." He also served as Prefect
and assistant editor
of The American College Bulletin during his studies. Buswell was eventually ordained
to the priesthood
on July 9, 1939.
Upon his return to the United States
, he was named assistant pastor
of a Tonkawa
parish
and of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral in Oklahoma City. Buswell, after being made diocesan
Vice-Chancellor
, became the first pastor of Christ the King Parish in 1947. At Christ the King, he placed emphasis on the greater involvement of the laity
. He was raised to the rank of a Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness
in 1949, and later a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
in 1955.
On August 8, 1959, Buswell was appointed the second Bishop of Pueblo
, Colorado
, by Pope John XXIII
. He was consecrated on the following September 30 by Bishop Victor Reed
, with Bishops Stephen Leven
and Glennon Flavin serving as co-consecrators
. Buswell attended the Second Vatican Council
from 1962 to 1965, and later described the Council's mission as making the Church "a dynamic organism to penetrate the world with a spirit of truth and light" and not "a static remnant of past glory". The Bishop also spoke of opening the Church's windows "to let in fresh air and bring in a new vision that prepares the world for new responsibility for the world in which we live." Following the introduction of the Mass
in English
, he criticized the wording of the Gloria
.
In 1973, the Vatican
ordered that the practice of separating a child's first Communion
from first confession
, for psychological
purposes, be stopped. Buswell responded by saying, "I am convinced that the reception of first Communion before first confession is based on good theology, is rooted in solid findings of the behavioral sciences
, and is excellent pastoral practice". He promised to continue the practice until the Vatican's decree received the "mature consideration" of American bishops
and educators
. During one of his Sunday visits in 1976 to the parishes of his diocese
, he once introduced himself to a five-year-old girl at a Mass as "Charlie." Following the end of the Mass, the little girl said, "Nice show, Charlie!". He resigned as Pueblo
's bishop on September 19, 1979, after twenty years of service.
A frequent of his alma mater
of the American College
in Leuven, Buswell served as “Pastor in Residence” there from 1985 to 1986. For the 150th anniversary
of the foundation of the College in 2006, the Bishop was awarded the DeBecker Medal. Although unable to attend the ceremony, he was presented with the medal in the following December.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
who served as Bishop of Pueblo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo is a Roman Catholic diocese in Colorado. The diocese was founded on November 15, 1941. It encompasses the southern half of Colorado, from Utah to the west, to Kansas in the east....
from 1959 to 1979. At the time of his death, he was one of the oldest bishops in the Church.
Biography
Charles Buswell was born in HomesteadHomestead, Oklahoma
Homestead is a small unincorporated community in northern Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. Platted along the Rock Island railroad line before statehood, the Homestead Post Office opened April 19, 1894. Homestead had a population of 150 residents in 1905, according the Oklahoma Territorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, to Charles and Bridget Buswell. However, the family moved to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
shortly afterwards. He received his primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
at the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
’s St. Joseph School, studied for two years at St. Benedict’s College
Benedictine College
Benedictine College is a co-educational university in Atchison, Kansas, founded in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. It is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, and residential college located on bluffs overlooking the...
in Atchison
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, and then entered St. Louis Preparatory Seminary in Webster Groves
Webster Groves, Missouri
Webster Groves is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 22,995 at the 2010 census. The city is named after New England politician Daniel Webster....
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, in 1933.
After studying theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at [Kenrick-Glennon Seminary] in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Buswell entered in 1936 the American College
The American College of the Immaculate Conception
The American College of the Immaculate Conception, or the American College at Louvain, was a Roman Catholic seminary in Leuven, Belgium, which operated under the auspices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops...
in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where he was known as "both a serious student and a congenial companion among his fellow seminarians
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
." He also served as Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
and assistant editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of The American College Bulletin during his studies. Buswell was eventually ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on July 9, 1939.
Upon his return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he was named assistant pastor
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of a Tonkawa
Tonkawa, Oklahoma
Tonkawa is a city in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States, along the Salt Fork Arkansas River. The population was 3,299 at the 2000 census.-History:...
parish
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
and of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral in Oklahoma City. Buswell, after being made diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
Vice-Chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
, became the first pastor of Christ the King Parish in 1947. At Christ the King, he placed emphasis on the greater involvement of the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
. He was raised to the rank of a Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1949, and later a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1955.
On August 8, 1959, Buswell was appointed the second Bishop of Pueblo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo is a Roman Catholic diocese in Colorado. The diocese was founded on November 15, 1941. It encompasses the southern half of Colorado, from Utah to the west, to Kansas in the east....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. He was consecrated on the following September 30 by Bishop Victor Reed
Victor Joseph Reed
Victor Joseph Reed was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa from 1958 until his death in 1971.-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Stephen Leven
Stephen Aloysius Leven
Stephen Aloysius Leven was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Angelo from 1969 to 1979.-Biography:...
and Glennon Flavin serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Buswell attended the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
from 1962 to 1965, and later described the Council's mission as making the Church "a dynamic organism to penetrate the world with a spirit of truth and light" and not "a static remnant of past glory". The Bishop also spoke of opening the Church's windows "to let in fresh air and bring in a new vision that prepares the world for new responsibility for the world in which we live." Following the introduction of the Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, he criticized the wording of the Gloria
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
.
In 1973, the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
ordered that the practice of separating a child's first Communion
First Communion
The First Communion, or First Holy Communion, is a Catholic Church ceremony. It is the colloquial name for a person's first reception of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist is one of the central focuses of the Catholic Church...
from first confession
Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church)
In the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the method by which individual men and women may be freed from sins committed after receiving the sacrament of Baptism...
, for psychological
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
purposes, be stopped. Buswell responded by saying, "I am convinced that the reception of first Communion before first confession is based on good theology, is rooted in solid findings of the behavioral sciences
Behavioural sciences
The term behavioural sciences encompasses all the disciplines that explore the activities of and interactions among organisms in the natural world. It involves the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behaviour through controlled and naturalistic observation, and disciplined...
, and is excellent pastoral practice". He promised to continue the practice until the Vatican's decree received the "mature consideration" of American bishops
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
and educators
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. During one of his Sunday visits in 1976 to the parishes of his diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, he once introduced himself to a five-year-old girl at a Mass as "Charlie." Following the end of the Mass, the little girl said, "Nice show, Charlie!". He resigned as Pueblo
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
's bishop on September 19, 1979, after twenty years of service.
A frequent of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of the American College
The American College of the Immaculate Conception
The American College of the Immaculate Conception, or the American College at Louvain, was a Roman Catholic seminary in Leuven, Belgium, which operated under the auspices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops...
in Leuven, Buswell served as “Pastor in Residence” there from 1985 to 1986. For the 150th anniversary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
of the foundation of the College in 2006, the Bishop was awarded the DeBecker Medal. Although unable to attend the ceremony, he was presented with the medal in the following December.