Elden Francis Curtiss

The Most Reverend Elden Curtiss
Archbishop Emeritus of Omaha
Curtiss in 2013
See	Omaha
Appointed	May 4, 1993
Installed	June 25, 1993
Term ended	June 3, 2009
Predecessor	Daniel E. Sheehan
Successor	George Lucas
Orders
Ordination	May 24, 1958
Consecration	April 28, 1976
Personal details
Born	(1932-06-16) June 16, 1932 Baker City, Oregon
Nationality	American
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Motto	That We May All Be One

Styles of Elden Francis Curtiss

Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop
Posthumous style	not applicable

Elden Francis Curtiss (born June 16, 1932) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Helena from 1976 to 1993, and Archbishop of Omaha from 1993 to 2009.

Biography

Early life and career

Elden Curtiss was born in Baker City, Oregon, the eldest of four sons of Elden and Mary (née Neiger) Curtiss. He studied at St. Edward Seminary in Kenmore, Washington, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Francis P. Leipzig on May 24, 1958. He was assigned to parishes in Lakeview, La Grande, and Jordan Valley, Oregon, and served as a hospital chaplain.^[1]

Curtiss furthered his studies at Fordham University, at the University of Portland, and at the University of Notre Dame, acquiring a master of divinity degree and a master of arts degree in education administration. He served as director of information and as superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Baker. In 1970, he joined the faculty of Mount Angel Seminary; in 1972, he was appointed president-rector of the seminary.^[1]^[2]

Bishop of Helena

On March 4, 1976, Curtiss was appointed the seventh Bishop of Helena, Montana, by Pope Paul VI.^[3]^[4] He was ordained as a bishop on April 28, 1976, by Archbishop Cornelius Power of Portland, Oregon.^[5] He selected as his episcopal motto: "That We May All Be One" (John 17:21).

Archbishop of Omaha

Curtiss was later named the fourth Archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska, by Pope John Paul II on May 4, 1993. Succeeding the retiring Daniel Sheehan, he was formally installed on June 25 of that year.

Upon reaching his 75th birthday in 2007, Curtiss submitted his resignation, as required by church law.^[6] In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation and named George J. Lucas as his successor.^[1]

Response to sexual abuse claims

During his tenure as the Bishop of Helena, Curtiss chose to reassign a priest who had been accused of pedophilia in 1959, later admitting that he had not properly examined the church's personnel file on the individual concerned. Curtis faced similar criticism in 2001 in regard to a priest accused of accessing child pornography. Curtis, it was alleged, had failed to bring the case to the attention of the authorities, and had chosen to send the priest for counseling and to reassign the priest, removing him from his high-school teaching position but reassigning him to a middle-school.^[7]

In 2009, Curtiss stated that the bishops had "learned the hard way", but that the church was better now that it had gone through the process of responding to the sexual abuse issues.^[8]

References

1 2 3 "Most Reverend Elden F. Curtiss". Archdiocese of Omaha. Retrieved 2015-01-04. Archived 2014-07-11 at Wayback Machine.
↑ Bunting, Robert. "Elden Francis Curtiss (1932–)". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
↑ "1976-1993 Bishop Curtiss". Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
↑ Susan Szalewski. "Archbishop Emeritus Curtiss plans trip to Pope Paul VI's beatification". Catholic Voice. 2014-10-03. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
↑ "Archbishop Elden Curtiss notes anniversary". Catholic Sentinel. 2006-05-12. Retrieved 2015-01-04. Archived 2015-04-02 at Wayback Machine.
↑ "At age 75, Archbishop Curtiss submits resignation". Catholic Voice. 2007-06-21. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
↑ Egerton, Brooks; Dunklin, Reese (June 12, 2002). "Bishops' record in cases of accused priests". Dallas Morning News.
↑ Burbach, Christopher. "Archbishop talks frankly about pain and joy of his 16-year tenure". Omaha World-Herald.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Raymond Gerhardt Hunthausen	Bishop of Helena 1976 – 1993	Succeeded by Alexander Joseph Brunett
Preceded by Daniel Eugene Sheehan	Archbishop of Omaha 1993 –2009	Succeeded by George Joseph Lucas

Archdiocese of Omaha

Ordinaries	Bishops James O'Connor Richard Scannell Jeremiah James Harty Joseph Francis Rummel Archbishops James Hugh Ryan Gerald Thomas Bergan Daniel E. Sheehan Elden Francis Curtiss George Joseph Lucas

Auxiliary Bishops	Daniel E. Sheehan Anthony Michael Milone

Churches	Cathedral St. Cecilia Cathedral Parishes St. Anthony's Church, Cedar Rapids St. Leonard Church, Madison Holy Family Church, Omaha Immaculate Conception Church, Omaha Sacred Heart Church, Omaha St. Frances Cabrini Church, Omaha St. John's Church, Omaha St. Joseph Church, Omaha St. Bonaventure Church, Raeville

Education	Higher Education Creighton University College of Saint Mary High Schools Archbishop Bergan High School, Fremont Cedar Catholic High School, Hartington Central Catholic High School, West Point Creighton Preparatory School, Omaha Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School, Bellevue Duchesne Academy, Omaha Holy Family High School, Lindsay Marian High School, Omaha Mercy High School, Omaha Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey and High School, Omaha Norfolk Catholic High School, Norfolk Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School, Elgin Roncalli Catholic High School, Omaha St. Francis High School, Humphrey St. Mary's High School, O'Neill St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Omaha Scotus Central Catholic High School, Columbus V. J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School, Omaha

Priests	Blase J. Cupich William Joseph Dendinger Edward J. Flanagan Joseph G. Hanefeldt Edward Joseph Hunkeler Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern John Linus Paschang

Other	Boys Town Notre Dame Academy and Convent

Catholicism portal

Diocese of Helena

Bishops	Ordinaries Jean-Baptiste Brondel John Patrick Carroll George Joseph Finnigan Ralph Leo Hayes Joseph Michael Gilmore Raymond Hunthausen Elden Francis Curtiss Alexander Joseph Brunett Robert C. Morlino George Leo Thomas

Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Helena Parishes St. Francis Xavier Church, Missoula St. Ignatius Church, St. Ignatius St. Mary's Mission Church, Stevensville Former St. Joseph's Church, Moiese St. Joseph's Mission Church, Townsend

Education	Higher Education Carroll College High schools Butte Central Catholic High School, Butte Loyola Sacred Heart High School, Missoula

Miscellany	Holy Rosary Church Rectory, Bozeman

Catholicism portal

Diocese of Baker

Bishops	Ordinaries Charles Joseph O'Reilly Joseph Francis McGrath Francis Peter Leipzig Thomas Joseph Connolly Robert F. Vasa Liam Cary Coadjutor bishop Leo Fabian Fahey

Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales Former churches St. Peter's Church, Echo

Priests	Elden Francis Curtiss

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