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Alumnus appointed bishop of Grand Island
Msgr. William J. Dendinger, a 1961 graduate of Conception Seminary, was named
bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island Oct. 14.
Bishop Dendinger is the 14th alumnus of Conception Seminary to be named a bishop.
“In a spirit of service and obedience I will strive to be a faithful
shepherd of the Diocese of Grand Island,” said the bishop-elect, who is a
priest of the Archdiocese of Omaha. “I felt a little more at ease when
Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, assured me
that the pope knew what he was doing.”
One of Bishop Dendinger’s first tasks as bishop was to arrange for the
funeral of his predecessor, Bishop Lawrence McNamara, who died Dec. 17, just four
days after taking part in the installation of his successor.
“It’s a real shock to me and even more so to the diocese because
yesterday and this morning he was very lucid, very talkative,” Bishop Dendinger
said following Bishop McNamara’s death. “Although we knew his health was
frail, it was a real shock, a real loss.”
Following five years teaching in Catholic Schools, Bishop Dendinger began a
three-decade career as a military chaplain, rising to major general, the highest
rank at the Pentagon. Since his retirement from the military in 2001, he has
served as pastor of St. Stephen parish, the largest in the Archdiocese of Omaha.
Father James O’Kane, who met the bishop while they were studying at
Conception, said his friend is a good listener.
“He has had to be very decisive (in his military service), and yet there
has to be order there,” Father O’Kane said. “But it’s all
very well mixed together with this very genuine love of people and care and concern
for them.”
(Information in from articles in the West Nebraska Register, newspaper of the Diocese of Grand Island)
Conception Seminary Alumni – Bishops
Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB - Dubuque (C58-63)
Bishop George Fitzsimons - Salina (retired) (T56-61)
Bishop Eugene Gerber - Wichita (retired) (H45-47;C50-52)
Bishop Arthur Tafoya - Pueblo (C57-58;T58-62)
Bishop Anthony Milone - Great Falls (C50-54)
Bishop David Ricken - Cheyenne (C72-74)
Bishop Ronald Gilmore - Dodge City (C60-63)
Bishop Dorick Wright - Belize City/Belmopan, Belize (auxiliary bishop) (C67-71;T71-72)
Bishop William Dendinger - Grand Island (H53-56;C57-61)
Deceased Alumni Bishops
Bishop Raymond Etteldorf (H29-30;C30-31)
Bishop James Fitzgerald (Joliet) (C57-60;T60-64)
Bishop Francis Greteman (Sioux City) (H21-22)
Bishop Charles Koester (Auxiliary - St. Louis) (H30-31)
Bishop John Paschang (Grand Island) (H09-15;C15-16)
We welcome your comments:
communications@conception.edu
www.conceptionabbey.org
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