Leonard Paul Blair | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop Emeritus of Hartford | |
 | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Hartford |
| Appointed | October 29, 2013 |
| Installed | December 16, 2013 |
| Retired | May 1, 2024 |
| Predecessor | Henry J. Mansell |
| Successor | Christopher J. Coyne |
| Previous posts |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 26, 1976 by John Francis Dearden |
| Consecration | August 24, 1999 by Adam Maida,Edmund Szoka, andDale Joseph Melczek |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Leonard Paul Blair (1949-04-12)April 12, 1949 (age 76) |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Education | Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Motto | Pasce oves meas (Feed my sheep) |
| Styles of Leonard Paul Blair | |
|---|---|
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| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
Leonard Paul Blair (born April 12, 1949) is an Americanprelate of theRoman Catholic Church, who served asarchbishop of theArchdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut from December 2013 to May 2024.
Blair previously served as bishop of theDiocese of Toledo in Ohio from 2003 to 2013 and as an auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of Detroit in Michigan from 1999 to 2003.
Leonard Blair was born on April 12, 1949, inDetroit,Michigan. He first studied atSacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, where he obtained aBachelor of Arts inHistory.[1]
Blair wasordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1976, for the Archdiocese of Detroit by CardinalJohn Dearden.[1] After his ordination, Blair studied at thePontifical North American College in Rome. He earned aBachelor of Sacred Theology from thePontifical Gregorian University; aLicentiate of Theology with a specialization inpatristics and the history of theology from the Gregorian: and aDoctor of Theology from thePontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas[1]
Blair served as assistant pastor or pastor in several parishes in the archdiocese, including St. Martin de Porres inWarren, Our Lady of Queen of Peace inHarper Woods, St. Christopher in Detroit, and St. Paul inGrosse Pointe Farms[1]
Blair's archdiocesan positions included assignments atvicar general andchancellor. He taught theology and patristics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, where he also served asdean of studies.[1] From 1994 to 1997 he worked as personal secretary to CardinalEdmund Szoka, who was then a senior official in theRoman Curia.[2]
On July 8, 1999, Blair was appointed byPope John Paul II as anauxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit and Titular Bishop ofVoncariana. He received hisepiscopal consecration on August 24, 1999, at theCathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit from CardinalAdam Maida, with Cardinal Szoka and BishopDale Melczek serving asco-consecrators.[3]
Blair was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Toledo by John Paul II on October 7, 2003.[4] He was installed on December 4, 2003.[5]
On April 28, 2004, Blair suspended the ministry of Gerald Robinson, a diocese priest, after his arrest on murder charges. Robinson had been charged with killing SisterMargaret Ann Pahl atMercy Hospital inToledo, Ohio.[6] Robinson was convicted of murder in 2006 and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.[7]
On May 9, 2005, Blair directed the Sisters of St. Francis to cancel a three-day workshop byNew Ways Ministry at the order's campus inTiffin, Ohio.[8] In stating his objections, Blair stated:
The positions of New Ways Ministry are not at all in accord with the guidelines for pastoral care which the bishops of the United States issued in 2006 regarding 'Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination.' Nor does New Ways Ministry present the full, authentic teaching of the Catholic Church on homosexuality.[8]
In April 2008, theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDR) at the Vatican directed Blair to conduct a doctrinal assessment of theLeadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the umbrella organization for nuns in the United States. The Vatican was concerned that the LCWR was straying from church priorities and doctrines.[9] Blair submitted his report to the CDR in 2010, noting that "The current doctrinal and pastoral situation of LCWR is grave and a matter of serious concern."[10] In April 2012, the CDR appointed ArchbishopJ. Peter Sartain, assisted by Blair and BishopThomas J. Paprocki, to create a plan for the overhaul of the LCWR.[11] In response, the LCWR voted to reject the CDR plan, creating a standoff. After the installation ofPope Francis in 2013, pressure on the LCWR eased and by 2015 the affair concluded without had sanctions against the LCWR.[9]
In July 2011, Blair told parishes andparochial schools in the Diocese of Toledo not to raise funds for theSusan G. Komen Foundation, citing concerns that the money could be used to fundembryonic stem-cell research.[12] Blair stated:
As best we can determine, at present the Komen Foundation does not fund cancer research that employs embryonic stem cells. However, their policy does not exclude that possibility. They are open to embryonic stem cell research, and may very well fund such research in the future.[13]
Blair's statement also referred to Komen's relationship withPlanned Parenthood, a provider ofabortion and women's health services. Because of these factors, Blair urged Catholic donors, both corporate and individually, to consider alternative organizations when supportingbreast cancer research.[14]
Pope Francis appointed Blair as the fifth archbishop of Hartford on October 29, 2013;[15][2] he was installed on December 16, 2013.[16] On January 22, 2019, he announced that the archdiocese had paid $50.6 million to settle 142 claims ofsexual abuse on the part of 29 priests of the archdiocese and three priests from other dioceses. Most involved the abuse of minors. Some 23 of those accused were no longer living; accusations dated as far back as 1953 and almost all occurred before 1990.[17] He celebrated a "Mass of Reparations" at which he said that "on my knees as a bishop ... I ask forgiveness of God, of the wider community and our own Catholic community. I ask it especially of all the victims of sexual abuse and their families. I ask it for all the church leadership has done or failed to do."[18]
Pope Francis accepted his resignation on May 1, 2024.[19]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - | Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit 1999–2003 | Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Toledo 2003–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Hartford 2013–2024 | Succeeded by |
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