Walter P. Kellenberg

Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Ogdensburg (1954–1957); Auxiliary Bishop of New York (1953–1954)

Walter Philip Kellenberg (June 3, 1901 – January 11, 1986) was an American prelate of the

Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Ogdensburg in Northern New York (1954–1957) and bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre

in New York (1957–1976).

Biography

Early life

Walter Kellenberg was born in the

St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York.^[1] He also took courses in real estate, insurance, and business administration at Columbia University.^[2]

Priesthood

Kellenberg was

St. Patrick's Cathedral Parish, and was named assistant chancellor and secretary of the archdiocesan Commission for Real Estate and Insurance in 1939.^[2]

Kellenberg became temporary administrator of St. John the Baptist Parish in Staten Island. and St. Nicholas Parish in Manhattan, and was named vice-chancellor in 1942.^[2] He was named a papal chamberlain in 1943, and served as secretary to Cardinal Francis Spellman from 1947 to 1950.^[1] He was later made chancellor (1947), domestic prelate (1948), and moderator of the coordinating committee of the Archdiocesan Catholic Lay Organization (1951).^[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of New York

On August 25, 1953, Kellenberg was appointed

consecration on the following October 5 from Cardinal James McIntyre, with Bishops William Scully and Joseph Flannelly serving as co-consecrators.^[4]

Catholic University of America, Kellenberg was named the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Ogdensburg on January 19, 1954.^[5] That same year, he received an honorary degree from Fordham University. He expanded the diocese's Departments of Education and Catechetics and increased the number of parochial schools.^[6]

Bishop of Rockville Centre

He remained in Ogdensburg for three years, when he was appointed the first

Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Rockville Centre on April 16, 1957.^[6] He founded the diocese's Catholic Charities office that same year.^[7]

On April 12, 1959, at Mitchel Air Force Base, Kellenberg dedicated the medal of Our Lady of Loreto. In 1920 Pope Benedict XV had declared the Madonna of Loreto patron saint of air travelers and pilots.From 1962 to 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. Three colleges, eighteen high schools and a number of parish schools were established during his tenure.

Retirement and legacy

Shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Kellenberg resigned as bishop on May 3, 1976.^[4] Kellenberg died from a heart attack at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre at age 84.

Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, New York is named in his honor. A stained glass window in St. Boniface Church in Elmont, New York depicts Pope John XXIII welcoming Kellenberg to the council. His coat of arms in depicted stained glass window in the windows of the formal lounge in Queen's Court on Fordham's Rose Hill Campus.^[3] The Hicksville Knights of Columbus Council 728 is named in honor of Kellenberg.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Curtis, Georgina Pell (1977). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XXI. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Business-Trained Bishop; Walter Philip Kellenberg". The New York Times. 1957-05-28.
^ ^a ^b "Most Rev. Walter P. Kellenberg, Class of 1919", Fordham Preparatory School
^ ^a ^b "Bishop Walter Philip Kellenberg". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
^ "Bishop Walter Philip Kellenberg, D.D.", Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg
^ ^a ^b Taylor S.S.J., Mary Christine. "Diocese of Ogdensburg", June 7, 2010
^ "Celebrating 60 Years" Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre
^ Knights of Columbus, Nassau Chapter

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by First	Bishop of Rockville Centre 1957–1976	Succeeded by John R. McGann
Preceded by Bryan Joseph McEntegart	Bishop of Ogdensburg 1954–1957	Succeeded by James Johnston Navagh
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of New York 1953–1954	Succeeded by –

[curtis-1] Curtis, Georgina Pell (1977). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XXI. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.

[nytimes-2] "Business-Trained Bishop; Walter Philip Kellenberg". The New York Times. 1957-05-28.

[fordprep-3] "Most Rev. Walter P. Kellenberg, Class of 1919", Fordham Preparatory School

[hierarchy-4] "Bishop Walter Philip Kellenberg". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.

[5] "Bishop Walter Philip Kellenberg, D.D.", Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg

[Taylor-6] Taylor S.S.J., Mary Christine. "Diocese of Ogdensburg", June 7, 2010

[7] "Celebrating 60 Years" Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre

[8] Knights of Columbus, Nassau Chapter

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg
Ordinaries	Bishops Edgar Philip Prindle Wadhams Henry Gabriels Joseph Henry Conroy Francis Joseph Monaghan Bryan Joseph McEntegart Walter P. Kellenberg James Johnston Navagh Leo Richard Smith Thomas Andrew Donnellan Stanislaus Joseph Brzana Paul Stephen Loverde Gerald Michael Barbarito Robert J. Cunningham Terry R. LaValley
Churches	Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral, Ogdensburg Parishes Church of St. Dismas, the Good Thief, Dannemora St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Plattsburgh St. Vincent of Paul Catholic Church, Cape Vincent St. William's Catholic Church, Long Lake
Education	High schools Immaculate Heart Central High School, Watertown Seton Catholic Central High School, Plattsburgh
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