Loras Joseph Watters

Titular Bishop of Fidoloma
Titular Bishop of Fidoloma
Orders
Ordination	June 7, 1941; by Francis Beckman
Consecration	August 26, 1965; by Egidio Vagnozzi
Personal details
Born	October 14, 1915; Dubuque, Iowa, US
Died	March 30, 2009 (aged 93); Winona, Minnesota, US
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque
Education	Catholic University of America; Pontifical Gregorian University
Motto	Dominus Lux Mea; (Lord, my light)

Loras Joseph Watters (October 14, 1915 – March 30, 2009) was an American

Bishop of Winona

from 1969 to 1986.

Biography

Early life

Loras Watters was born in Dubuque, Iowa, the son of Martin and Carolyn (Sisler) Watters.^[1] He was a sick child at birth and he and his mother spent an extended period of time in the hospital. He received his first name from the sister who baptized him in the hospital, Sr. Loras, "much to his mother's chagrin."^[2] Watters received his early education at St. Raphael’s Cathedral School in Dubuque and Loras Academy before completing his undergraduate degree at Columbia College in Dubuque.

Watters studied for the priesthood at the

The Catholic University of America

in Washington, D.C.

Priesthood

Watters was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Dubuque on June 7, 1941, by Archbishop Francis Beckman in St. Raphael's Cathedral. He served as the assistant pastor at St. Martin's Parish in Cascade, Iowa, from 1941 to 1944. He then served on the faculty of Loras Academy in Dubuque from 1944 to 1946.

Watters returned to Catholic University for post-graduate work before returning to Loras Academy briefly as principal. He then returned to Catholic University where he earned a doctorate in education. Upon returning to Dubuque he served on the faculty of Loras College in the Education Department from 1954 to 1956.

Watters returned to Rome in 1956 where he served as

domestic prelate by Pope John XXIII during these years.^[1] After he returned to Iowa, Watters became the director of the North American Martyrs Retreat House in Cedar Falls.^[3]

Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque

Watters was appointed

superintendent of schools for the archdiocese and as the pastor of Nativity Parish in Dubuque.^[3]

Bishop of Winona

On January 8, 1969, Paul VI appointed Watters as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Winona; he was installed on March 13, 1969.[5] Watters led the diocese in the years after Vatican II. He promulgated the document, "The Church in the Diocese of Winona," which described the local Church and the roles of the clergy, religious, and the laity.^[1] He initiated the Diocesan Pastoral Council, which provided a pastoral leadership role for the laity in the Church.^[2] From 1972 to 1974, Watters served as the Chairman of the Bishops' Committee on Priestly Formation for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.^[1]

Watters led the diocese in a spiritual renewal program called RENEW beginning in 1984, which encouraged the laity to participate in the life of their parish. This emphasis on the role of lay people helped in the years Watters was the bishop and after he resigned as the number of priests in diocese declined.^[2] He also established the Diocesan Tribunal, the Diocesan Finance Office, and reorganized the diocese of Winona into deaneries. During his years as bishop, he resided in a three-room apartment at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.

Retirement and legacy

Watters remained as the Bishop of Winona until his retirement on his 71st birthday in 1986. He initially moved to St. Mary's College in Winona where he taught part-time and served as chaplain to the Brothers. He moved briefly to Pacific Grove, California, to be near his sisters before returning to Winona in 2003 and resided at Callista Court at St. Anne's Extended Healthcare.

Loras Watters died in Winona on March 30, 2009, at age 93. His funeral was held in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and he was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Winona.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Daily News staff (April 1, 2009). "Obituaries for Wednesday, April 1, 2009". Winona Daily News. Winona, Minnesota. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jerome Christenson (March 31, 2009). "Watters, former Winona bishop, dies at 93". La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wisconsin. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
^ ^a ^b Gallagher, Mary Kevin, ed. (1987). Seed/Harvest: A History of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Dubuque, Iowa: Archdiocese of Dubuque Press. p. 162.
^ David M. Cheney. "Bishop Loras Joseph Watters". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
^ Gallagher 1987, p. 140.

External links

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald	Bishop of Winona 1969–1986	Succeeded by John George Vlazny

[Obituary-1] Daily News staff (April 1, 2009). "Obituaries for Wednesday, April 1, 2009". Winona Daily News. Winona, Minnesota. Retrieved 2019-04-07.

[Christenson-2] Jerome Christenson (March 31, 2009). "Watters, former Winona bishop, dies at 93". La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wisconsin. Retrieved 2009-03-31.

[Gallagher-3] Gallagher, Mary Kevin, ed. (1987). Seed/Harvest: A History of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Dubuque, Iowa: Archdiocese of Dubuque Press. p. 162.

[Hierarchy-4] David M. Cheney. "Bishop Loras Joseph Watters". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2009-03-31.

[FOOTNOTEGallagher1987140-5] Gallagher 1987, p. 140.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
Ordinaries	Bishops Mathias Loras Clement Smyth Archbishops John Hennessy John Keane James Keane Francis Beckman Henry Rohlman Leo Binz James Byrne Daniel Kucera Jerome Hanus Michael Jackels Thomas Robert Zinkula
Auxiliary bishops	Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald Loras Thomas Lane George Biskup Loras Joseph Watters Francis John Dunn William Edwin Franklin
Churches	Cathedral St. Raphael's Cathedral, Dubuque Parishes Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, Dyersville St. John XXIII, Cedar Rapids Holy Ghost, Dubuque Holy Trinity, Luxemburg Sacred Heart, Dubuque Sacred Heart, Fillmore St. Boniface, New Vienna St. Donatus, St. Donatus St. Joseph, Elkader St. Joseph, Key West Saint Joseph the Worker, Dubuque St. Martin, Cascade St. Mary, Guttenberg St. Patrick, Dubuque St. Patrick, Garryowen St. Lawrence, Otter Creek St. Paul, Worthington Saints Peter and Paul, Petersburg Former parishes Saint Joseph's Prairie Church St. Mary, Dubuque St. Joseph, Stone City
Education	Higher education Clarke University Divine Word College Loras College Mount Mercy University St. Pius X Seminary, Dubuque High schools Beckman High School, Dyersville Columbus High School, Waterloo Don Bosco High School, Gilbertville Marquette High School, Bellevue Newman Catholic High School, Mason City Wahlert High School, Dubuque Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids Primary schools Mazzuchelli Middle School, Dubuque Holy Family Catholic Schools, Dubuque St. Mary's School, Guttenberg Former schools Sacred Heart School, Dubuque St. Luke's School, St. Lucas
Religious orders	New Melleray Abbey Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Priests	John George Alleman John Patrick Carroll James Vincent Casey Joseph Crétin Justin Albert Driscoll Thomas William Drumm Raymond Philip Etteldorf Daniel Mary Gorman Edward Howard William Michael Joensen Louis Benedict Kucera Mathias Clement Lenihan Thomas Mathias Lenihan J. A. M. Pelamourgues Aloysius Schmitt Joseph Clement Willging Thomas Zinkula
Miscellany	Mount Saint Bernard Seminary and Barn Our Mother of Sorrows Grotto Historic District
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Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Bishops	Ordinaries Joseph Bernard Cotter Patrick Richard Heffron Francis Martin Kelly Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald Loras Joseph Watters John George Vlazny Bernard Joseph Harrington John M. Quinn Robert Barron Auxiliaries Leo Binz George Henry Speltz
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona St. John the Evangelist, Rochester Parishes Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Winona Church of St. Augustine, Austin Church of St. Adrian, Adrian Church of the Sacred Heart, Heron Lake Church of the Holy Trinity, Rollingstone Church of St. Kilian, Wilmont Township
Education	Higher education Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary Saint Mary's University of Minnesota High schools Cotter High School, Winona Lourdes High School, Rochester Loyola Catholic School, Mankato Pacelli High School, Austin Other Austin Area Catholic Schools
Priests	Paul Breza Robert Brom Jan Romuald Byzewski Jozef Cieminski Frederick William Freking Michael Joseph Hoeppner Antoni Klawiter Jakub W.J. Pacholski John Hubert Peschges
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