Michael David Pfeifer

Last updated
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Michael David Pfeifer
Bishop Emeritus of San Angelo
Church Roman Catholic
Diocese San Angelo
AppointedMay 31, 1985
InstalledJuly 26, 1985
RetiredDecember 12, 2013
Predecessor Joseph Anthony Fiorenza
Successor Michael Sis
Orders
OrdinationDecember 21, 1964
by  Stephen Aloysius Leven
ConsecrationJuly 26, 1985
by  Patrick Flores, Joseph Fiorenza, and John Joseph Fitzpatrick
Personal details
BornMay 18, 1937
Alamo, Texas, US
MottoFor Christ and his people through Mary
Styles of
Michael David Pfeifer
Mitre (plain).svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Michael David Pfeifer (born May 18, 1937) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo in Texas from 1985 to 2012.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Michael Pfeifer was born on May 18, 1937, in Alamo, Texas, the son of Maund Pfeifer and Alice Clausney Savage. [1] He grew up on a family farm, dealing with periods of poverty. Pfeifer entered St. Anthony’s Junior Seminary at age 13. He took his first vows with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on May 31,1958 [2]

On December 21, 1964, Pfeifer was ordained into the priesthood by Bishop Stephen Leven for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. After his ordination, Pfeifer served as a missionary in Mexico for several years. [2] [1]

Bishop of San Angelo

On May 31, 1985, Pope John Paul II named Pfeifer as bishop of San Angelo. He was consecrated by Archbishop Patrick Flores at the San Angelo Coliseum in San Angelo, Texas, on July 26, 1985. [1] [3]

Pfeifer has spoken against medical research using embryonic stem cells, instead promoting the use of adult stem cells. [4] [5] [6]

On December 17, 2008, Pfeifer and the Diocese of San Angelo were sued by a San Angelo man. The plaintiff claimed that Reverend David Espitia, pastor of St. Ann's Parish in Colorado City, Texas, had sexually abused him from 1994, when he was age eight, to 2002 and that the diocese covered up the crimes. In response, Pfeifer said that Espita told him on June 13, 2003, about the allegations and denied all of them. At that time, Pfeifer initiated an investigation. A week after his meeting with Pfeifer, Espita committed suicide. [7] [8] [9] On November 21, 2011, the diocese reached an out-of-court settlement with the plaintiff. [10]

The 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on sexual abuse by clergy included a section on the transfer of Reverend Thomas C. Kelley, a priest from the Diocese of Erie in Pennsylvania, to the Diocese of San Angelo, despite a record of sexual abuse of young men. Five men aged 28 to 25 accused Kelley of sexual advances either at a high school or in the seminary; one man received a financial settlement from the Diocese of Erie. Kelley was sent to for psychological treatment twice; both facilities released him with recommendations to have no contact with young parishioners.

In 1995, Kelley requested a transfer to the Diocese of San Angelo. Pfeifer had a conversation in 1995 with Erie Bishop Donald Trautman in which they discussed Kelley's record and his transfer. Pfeiffer eventually agreed to Kelley's transfer without any restrictions. There were no allegations of abuse filed against Kelley during his ten years in the Diocese of San Angelo; he died in 2005 Pfeifer has refused to comment on the story. Bishop Michael Sis, the current bishop of San Angelo, said he felt hurt and angry about the Kelley allegations. [11]

Retirement

Pfeifer submitted his resignation letter as bishop of San Angelo to Pope Benedict XVI on Pfeifer's 75th birthday on May 18, 2012. [12] Pope Francis accepted Pfeifer's resignation on December 12, 2013. [1]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Bishop Michael David Pfeifer, O.M.I." Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Past Bishops of the Diocese of San Angelo". Diocese of San Angelo. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  3. ↑ "Bishop Michael Pfeifer: 25 years of compassion » Abilene Reporter-News". 2012-03-15. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  4. ↑ Christales, Victor (2012-03-15). "Bishop leads a rosary in protest of abortions". Abilene Reporter-News. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  5. ↑ Bethel, Brian (July 23, 2010). "Bishop Michael Pfeifer: 25 Years of Compassion". San Angelo Standard Times. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ Pfeifer, Michael (January 22, 2011). "Letter: Stem Cell Research Leaps Forward". Standard Times. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Pastor of Catholic church found dead after abuse allegations". Plainview Herald. 2003-06-13. Archived from the original on 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  8. ↑ "Lawsuit Claims Abuse by Priest at West Texas Churches". www.newswest9.com. December 30, 2009. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  9. ↑ "Man claims abuse by late San Angelo priest". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  10. ↑ "Diocese of San Angelo reaches out of court settlement in child abuse lawsuit". www.gosanangelo.com. Retrieved 2022-01-04.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ Peguero, Joshua (2018-08-17). "San Angelo Diocese Bishop hurt and angry by report accusing ex-priest of sexual misconduct". KTXS. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  12. ↑ Bishop Pfeifer announces retirement [ permanent dead link ], mywesttexas.com, May 12, 2012

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of San Angelo
1985-2013		Succeeded by
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