Earl Alfred Boyea Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Lansing | |
| See | Diocese of Lansing |
| Appointed | February 27, 2008 |
| Installed | April 29, 2008 |
| Predecessor | Carl Frederick Mengeling |
| Previous post |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 20, 1978 by Joseph Leopold Imesch |
| Consecration | September 13, 2002 by Adam Maida,Timothy Broglio, andThomas Joseph Tobin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-04-10)April 10, 1951 (age 74) |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Education | Sacred Heart Seminary High School and College (BA) Pontifical Gregorian University (STB) Wayne State University (MA) Catholic University of America (PhD) |
| Motto | In manus tuas (In Your hands) |
| Styles of Earl Alfred Boyea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Earl Alfred Boyea Jr. (born April 10, 1951) is an Americanprelate of theRoman Catholic Church. He has been serving as the bishop of theDiocese of Lansing in Michigan since 2008. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of Detroit inMichigan from 2002 to 2008.
Earl Boyea was born on April 10, 1951, inPontiac, Michigan, the eldest of the ten children of Earl and Helen Boyea. He was raised inWaterford, Michigan, and attendedOur Lady of the Lakes School in Waterford until the eighth grade.[1]
In 1965, Boyea enteredSacred Heart Seminary High School and College in Detroit, obtaining a bachelor's degree in history. In 1973, he traveled to Rome to attend thePontifical North American College andPontifical Gregorian University. Boyea graduated in 1976 from the Gregorian University with aBachelor of Sacred Theology. In 1977, he returned to Michigan to serve as a deacon at St. Benedict Parish in Pontiac.[1]
On May 20, 1978, Boyea wasordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Detroit by BishopJoseph Leopold Imesch at St. Benedict Church in Waterford, Michigan.[2]After his 1978 ordination, the archdiocese assigned Boyea as associatepastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish inMonroe, Michigan. In 1979, Boyea returned to the Gregorian University, obtaining hisLicentiate of Sacred Theology in 1980, with a thesis entitledChristology in Galatians.[1]
After Boyea came back to Michigan in 1980, the archdiocese assigned him as associate pastor of St. Timothy Parish inTrenton, Michigan. In 1984, he earned a Master of Arts in American history fromWayne State University in Detroit with a thesis entitled"John Samuel Foley, Third Bishop of Detroit: His Ecclesiastical Conflicts in the Diocese of Detroit, 1888–1900".[1]
In 1986, Boyea was named temporary administrator of St. Christine Parish in Detroit. Boyea obtained a Doctor of Church History fromCatholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1987. In 1987, he was posted as a weekend assistant at St. Joseph Parish inLake Orion, Michigan, then transferred in 1988 to Holy Family Parish inNovi, Michigan. From 1987 to 2000, Boyea taught church history and scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, becoming dean of studies in 1990. Also in 1988, Boyea served as thechaplain of Camp Sancta Maria, a Catholic boys' summer camp inGaylord, Michigan.[1]
In 1990, Boyea was transferred to Sacred Heart Parish inAuburn Hills, Michigan. He served on thepresbyteral council from 1990 to 1991 and on the board ofMadonna University in Livonia, Michigan, from 1994 to 2000.[1] Boyea left Camp Sancta Maria and Sacred Heart Parish in 1999. On January 18, 2000, he was elevated by the Vatican tomonsignor. In 2001, Boyea became a weekend assistant at St. Mary Parish in Columbus, Ohio, while serving as the rector-president and a professor at thePontifical College Josephinum in Columbus.[1]
Boyea was editor of the following documents:
On July 22, 2002, Boyea was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Detroit andtitular bishop ofSiccenna byPope John Paul II. On September 13, 2002, he received hisepiscopal consecration from CardinalAdam Maida, with ArchbishopTimothy P. Broglio and BishopThomas Joseph Tobin serving asco-consecrators. Boyea served as regional bishop for the south region of the archdiocese. He then spent tours serving the northeast region.[1]
On February 27, 2008,Pope Benedict XVI named Boyea as the fifth bishop of Lansing, with his installation on April 29, 2008.[1] Within theUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Boyea sits on the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, having formerly sat on the Committee on Boundaries of Dioceses and Provinces and on Priestly Formation and the Committee on Selection of Bishops. He also belongs to theCatholic Biblical Association, and theAmerican Catholic Historical Association.[1][3]
In September 2019, the diocese released a list of 17 priests who were credibly accused ofsexual abuse of minors or young adults. Boyea made this statement:
The primary intended audience of this list are victims of abuse: to encourage presently unknown victims to come forward; to help victims expose their abusers; and to assist victims in finding healing – it is also hoped that this information will assist all to ensure that such abuse never happens again.[4]
In October 2019, the diocese released a special investigative report that reported its failure in 1990 to investigate a sexual assault by Reverend Pat Egan against a young man. Boyea made this statement:
I repeat publicly now what I have said privately and personally to the victim in question: I am deeply sorry for the Diocese’s past failure and all should know that the allegation would have been handled differently today.[5]
In 2021, the USCCB elected Boyea as chair of the Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations Committee.[3]
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Lansing 2008–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
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