Anthony Pilla
Anthony Michael Pilla (born November 12, 1932) is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. He served as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland from 1979 to 1980 and Bishop of Cleveland from 1980 to 2006.
Anthony Michael Pilla | |
|---|---|
| Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Cincinnati |
| Diocese | Cleveland |
| See | Cleveland |
| Appointed | November 13, 1980 |
| Installed | January 6, 1981 |
| Term ended | April 4, 2006 |
| Predecessor | James Aloysius Hickey |
| Successor | Richard Gerard Lennon |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 23, 1959 |
| Consecration | August 1, 1979 by James Aloysius Hickey, Clarence George Issenmann, and Joseph Abel Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 12, 1932 Cleveland, Ohio |
| Previous post | Titular Bishop of Scardona Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland |
| Motto | Live on in my love |
Ordination history of Anthony Pilla | |||||||||||||
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Biography
Pilla was born in Cleveland and graduated from John Carroll University. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland on May 23, 1959.
On June 30, 1979, Pope John Paul II named Pilla Titular Bishop of Scardona and Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland. He was consecrated by Bishop James Aloysius Hickey of Cleveland on August 1, 1979. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Clarence George Issenmann, Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland, and Joseph Abel Francis, Auxiliary Bishop of Newark.
He was named Apostolic Administrator of the diocese on July 29, 1980, after Hickey was named Archbishop of Washington, and as Hickey's successor on November 13, 1980.[1] Pilla was installed as the ninth bishop of Cleveland on January 6, 1981.
He was elected president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in November, 1995 and served until 1998.[2]
Toward the end of his time as bishop he had to deal with the clergy sexual abuse crisis,[3] and with the diocesan legal and finance officer who was accused of stealing over $700,000 from the diocese. Pilla testified during the trial in Federal Court in 2008 after he left office.[4]
On April 4, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation and he became Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland.[1] He was replaced by Richard Lennon on the same day.[5] Pilla was thought to have retired due to cardiovascular problems; he is known to have undergone open-heart bypass surgery.
See also
- Catholic Church hierarchy
- Catholic Church in the United States
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of Catholic bishops of the United States
- Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
References
- "Bishop Anthony Michael Pilla". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- "United States Conference of Catholic Bishops". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- "Bishop addresses abuse". www.cleveland.com. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- Sheeran, Thomas J. "Former Bishop Pilla Takes Stand in Kick-Back Trial". www.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- "Bishop Richard Gerard Lennon". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
External links
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| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William H. Keeler |
President of the NCCB/USCC 1995–1998 |
Succeeded by Joseph Fiorenza |
| Preceded by James Aloysius Hickey |
Bishop of Cleveland 1980–2006 |
Succeeded by Richard Lennon |
| Preceded by - |
Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland 1979–1980 |
Succeeded by - |
