| His Excellency, The Most Reverend Paul Albert Zipfel | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Bismarck | |
 Bishop Zipfel in 2010 | |
| See | Diocese of Bismarck |
| Appointed | December 31, 1996 |
| Installed | February 20, 1997 |
| Term ended | October 19, 2011 |
| Predecessor | John Francis Kinney |
| Successor | David Kagan |
| Previous post(s) | Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis 1989 to 1996. |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | March 18, 1961 |
| Consecration | June 29, 1989 by John L. May, Edward Joseph O'Donnell, and J. Terry Steib |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1935-09-22)September 22, 1935 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | July 14, 2019(2019-07-14) (aged 83) Missouri, U.S. |
| Styles of Paul Albert Zipfel | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Paul Albert Zipfel (September 22, 1935 – July 14, 2019) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Bismarck in North Dakota from 1997 to 2011. Zipfel served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis from 1989 to 1996.
Biography
Early life
Paul Zipfel was born on September 22, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Albert and Leona (née Rau) Zipfel. He had two older siblings, Ralph and Marion. Paul Zipfel attended St. Michael's Elementary School from 1940 to 1949, and afterwards entered the St. Louis Preparatory Seminary. Zipfel then studied at Kenrick Seminary in Shrewsbury, Missouri (1955–1957) and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (1957–1961).
Priesthood
Zipfel was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St. Louis on March 18, 1961.
Zipfel obtained his Licentiate of Sacred Theology in June 1961 and completed his graduate studies at Saint Louis University from 1963 to 1965, earning a Master of Education. From 1961 to 1989, Zipfel did pastoral work in the archdiocese as an associate pastor, pastor, teacher and administrator at various schools and parishes.
Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis
On May 16, 1989, Zipfel was appointed auxiliary bishop of St. Louis and Titular Bishop of Walla Walla by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 29 from Archbishop John May, with Bishops O'Donnell and Steib serving as co-consecrators.
Bishop of Bismarck
Zipfel was named the sixth Bishop of Bismarck, North Dakota, on December 31, 1996, being installed on February 20, 1997.
Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Zipfel sat on the Administrative Committee and the Priestly Life and Ministry Committee.
In June 2002, Zipfel introduced a zero tolerance policy of sexual abuse allegations against priests in the diocese. Anyone accused of abuse would be immediately removed from active ministry and reported to the police for investigation.
Retirement and legacy
Zipfel's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Bismarck was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on October 19, 2011, and he was succeeded by David Kagan. In retirement, Bishop Zipfel took up residence in Saint Joseph's Hall at the University of Mary in Bismarck, where he provided sacramental and spiritual service to students.
In 2012, Zipfel was diagnosed with dementia. His family and the Diocese of Bismarck decided to move him back to St. Louis to be closer to family. Zipfel lived at Mother of Good Counsel Home in Normandy, Missouri. Zipfel died on July 14, 2019.
See also
Portals:
- 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 Paul Albert Zipfel [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- "Zipfel: New sexual abuse policy will help". Prairie Public Broadcasting. 2002-06-19. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
- Hannan, Monica. "Bishop Zipfel passes away". www.kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
External links
Episcopal succession
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byJohn Francis Kinney | Bishop of Bismarck 1996–2011 |
Succeeded byDavid Kagan |
| Preceded by– | Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis 1989–1996 |
Succeeded by– |
| Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bishops |  | |
| Churches |
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| Education |
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| Priests | ||
- 1935 births
- 2019 deaths
- Kenrick–Glennon Seminary alumni
- Catholic University of America alumni
- Saint Louis University alumni
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis
- American people of German descent
- Clergy from St. Louis
- Roman Catholic bishops of Bismarck
- 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- Religious leaders from Missouri