Robert F. Morneau
Encyclopedia
Robert Fealey Morneau is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop
of the Diocese of Green Bay
.
, Wisconsin
, to Leroy and Catherine (Fealey) Morneau. He graduated from Bear Creek High School and studied at St. Norbert College
in De Pere
and Sacred Heart Seminary in Oneida
before earning his bachelor's
and master's degree
s from the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop John Grellinger
on May 28, 1966, and worked as an assistant pastor
in New London before accepting appointments in Manitowoc
where he was a faculty member at Holy Family College
(now known as Silver Lake College) and chaplain
at the UW community college
and Park Town Home. He has also taught at the Summer
Theological
Institute of St. Norbert College and served on the college's Board of Trustees
.
On December 19, 1978, Morneau was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Green Bay
and Titular Bishop
of Massa Lubrense
by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on February 22, 1979 from Bishop Aloysius Wycislo
, with Bishops Mark Schmitt
and John Grellinger serving as co-consecrators
. Through the years, he has served the Diocese as a member of the College of Consultor
s and the Diocesan Finance Council; as the Vicar
for Priests and the Vicar General
; and as pastor
of Resurrection Parish in Allouez
.
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...
. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Diocese of Green Bay
Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay was established on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX. It covers the city of Green Bay as well as Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago counties,...
.
Biography
The fourth of six children, Robert Morneau was born in New LondonNew London, Wisconsin
New London is a city in Outagamie and Waupaca Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 7,295 at the 2010 census. The city has a Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Irish Fest, and week-long festivities, when the city's name is changed to "New Dublin" for the week. The American Water...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, to Leroy and Catherine (Fealey) Morneau. He graduated from Bear Creek High School and studied at St. Norbert College
St. Norbert College
St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175...
in De Pere
De Pere, Wisconsin
De Pere is a city located in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 20,559 at the 2000 census. De Pere is a suburb of Green Bay and is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Registered historic places:...
and Sacred Heart Seminary in Oneida
Oneida, Wisconsin
Oneida is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place in the town of Oneida, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,070 at the 2000 census. At the census, part of the CDP lay within the town of Hobart, which has since incorporated as a village, in...
before earning his bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s from the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He was 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....
by Bishop John Grellinger
John Benjamin Grellinger
John Benjamin Grellinger was the Roman Catholic titular bishop of Syene and the Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay....
on May 28, 1966, and worked as an 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...
in New London before accepting appointments in Manitowoc
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
where he was a faculty member at Holy Family College
Silver Lake College
Silver Lake College is a four-year, Catholic liberal arts college located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Green Bay. Founded as an academy in 1885 by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, the college achieved four-year college status in 1935 and was then called Holy Family College...
(now known as Silver Lake College) and chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at the UW community college
University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc
The University of Wisconsin–Manitowoc, part of the University of Wisconsin Colleges, is a two-year campus of the University of Wisconsin System located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.-History:...
and Park Town Home. He has also taught at the Summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
Theological
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...
Institute of St. Norbert College and served on the college's Board of Trustees
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
.
On December 19, 1978, Morneau was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Green Bay
Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay was established on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX. It covers the city of Green Bay as well as Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago counties,...
and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Massa Lubrense
Massa Lubrense
Massa Lubrense is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 25 km southeast of Naples...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
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....
on February 22, 1979 from Bishop Aloysius Wycislo
Aloysius John Wycislo
Aloysius John Wycisło was the 8th bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin. He served from 1968 to 1983 after serving as an auxiliary bishop in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.-Background:...
, with Bishops Mark Schmitt
Mark Francis Schmitt
Mark Francis Schmitt was the tenth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette, in Marquette, Michigan....
and John Grellinger 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...
. Through the years, he has served the Diocese as a member of the College of Consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
s and the Diocesan Finance Council; as the Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for Priests and the Vicar General
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
; and as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Resurrection Parish in Allouez
Allouez, Wisconsin
Allouez is a village in Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 15,443. It is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.