Edward Cullen (bishop)
Drexel Institute of Technology St. Charles Borromeo Seminary University of Pennsylvania La Salle University | |
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| Motto | Christ, church, compassion |
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| Styles of Edward Peter Cullen | ||
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency | |
| Religious style | Bishop | |
Edward Peter Cullen (March 15, 1933 – May 9, 2023) was an American
Early life and education
Cullen was born on March 15, 1933, to an
Following his graduation from West Catholic, Cullen studied engineering at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia. In 1953, he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958.[1]
Career
Ordination and ministry
On May 19, 1962, Cullen was
Cullen was sent by Archbishop Krol to study at the University of Pennsylvania, earning his Master of Social Work degree in 1970.[1] This was followed by a Master of Religious Education degree from La Salle University in Philadelphia (1971) and a Master of Divinity degree from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary (1974).[3] From 1979 to 1993, Cullen served as a chaplain at St. Edmond's Home for Children in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.[4]
Cullen was raised by the Vatican to the rank of honorary prelate in April 1982,[1] and served as director of Catholic Social Services from 1983 to 1988.[3] In August 1988, Cullen was named vicar general of the archdiocese.[citation needed]
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia
On February 8, 1994,
Bishop of Allentown
Pope John Paul II appointed Cullen as bishop of the Diocese of Allentown on December 16, 1997, replacing the retiring Bishop
In January 2004, Cullen stopped allowing the celebration of mass and other sacraments at The National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, Pennsylvania, located in the diocese. Cullen had previously expressed concern over the Centre's fundraising practices and lavish salaries for family members managing the Centre.[6] The Centre appealed Cullen's ruling to the Vatican, which rejected its appeal.[7] In September 2020, Bishop Alfred A. Schlert lifted the sacrament ban on the Centre.
In 2008, Cullen carried out a so-called restructuring to largely eliminate ethnic parishes in the Allentown Diocese. The diocese closed 47 parishes for a new total of 104 parishes. Some of the closed churches were then sold.[8]
Retirement and legacy
Cullen's letter of resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Allentown was accepted on May 27, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI. At the same time, Pope Benedict named Monsignor John Barres as his replacement.
On August 14, 2018, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a grand jury report on the handling of sexual abuse allegations against priests in Pennsylvania. The report showed that Cullen, as bishop of Allentown, instructed his vicar general, then Monsignor Alfred Schlert, to act as an "enabler" when handling abuse allegations.[9][failed verification] Shapiro said that Schlert and others earned promotions from Cullen for their work in handling the allegations.[10] By the time the grand jury report was released, many records on sex abuse in the diocese were missing. The grand jury report involved six Pennsylvania dioceses, and it stated that "we believe that the real number — of children whose records were lost, or who were afraid ever to come forward — is in the thousands."[11]
Death
Cullen died May 9, 2023, at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, at age 90.[12]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "The Diocese of Allentown: The Bishop | Biography: The Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, D.D." Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. Archived by the Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on January 29, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ St. Maria Goretti Church, Hatfield
- ^ a b "Bishop Welsh's Resignation Accepted; Bishop Cullen to Allentown". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. December 15, 1997.
- Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena.
- ^ a b "Bishop Edward Peter Cullen". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
- ^ "Padre Pio is focus of religious turf war ** Allentown Diocese, Berks shrine fight over funds, leadership". The Morning Call. February 8, 2004. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
- ^ "Vatican backs diocese ban on Masses at Padre Pio center ** Bishop Cullen said shrine in Berks County violated church law". The Morning Call. November 3, 2004. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
- ^ Althouse, Steve. "Several Lehigh Valley Catholic churches consolidated by Diocese of Allentown", Pennlive.com, May 31, 2008
- ^ "Attorney General Lists Dozens of Priests Accused of Sex Abuse in Grand Jury Report". Wnep.com. August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ Hall, Christine Schiavo, Emily Opilo, Riley Yates, Peter (August 14, 2018). "Scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report accuses hundreds of priests of sexually abusing more than 1,000 children". mcall.com. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report accuses hundreds of priests of sexually abusing more than 1,000 children". August 14, 2018.
- ^ McHugh, Blakely (May 9, 2023). "Edward Cullen, former Allentown Diocese bishop, dies at 90". WFMZ.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
External links
- Edward Peter Cullen at Catholic Hierarchy
- The Diocese of Allentown: The Bishop
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown
Episcopal succession
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