USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Bishop Gerber's Resignation Accepted, Bishop Olmsted Succeeds in Wichita; Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McKinney Resigns in Grand Rapids

Bishop Gerber's Resignation Accepted, Bishop Olmsted Succeeds in Wichita; Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McKinney Resigns in Grand Rapids

WASHINGTON (October 4, 2001) -- Pope John Paul II accepted the resignation of Bishop Eugene J. Gerber of Wichita, Kansas. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, who was named Coadjutor Bishop of Wichita in February, 1999, will now become Ordinary of the diocese.

The Pope also accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Joseph C. McKinney of Grand Rapids.

Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, made the announcements.

Thomas James Olmsted was born on January 21, 1947, in Marysville, Kansas.

After graduating from St. Thomas Seminary, Denver, in 1969, he completed studies at the North American College in Rome and the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained for the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, July 2, 1973.

Following ordination, Bishop Olmsted was assistant pastor, Cathedral of the Risen Christ, Lincoln, from 1973 to 1976; studied Canon Law from 1976 to 1979 (he graduated summa cum laude from the Gregorian in 1981); served in the Vatican Secretariat of State and as spiritual director of the North American College from 1979 to 1988; pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church, and official of the diocesan tribunal from 1989 to 1993.

He was appointed President and Rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum, Worthington, Ohio, in 1997, and was serving in that capacity when he was named Coadjutor Bishop of Wichita, February 16, 1999.

Eugene J. Gerber was born April 30, 1931 in Kingman, Kansas. He studied at St. Thomas Seminary and Wichita State University and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Wichita, on May 19, 1959. Appointed Bishop of Dodge City on October 16, 1976, he was transferred to the Diocese of Wichita on November 17, 1982.

The Diocese of Wichita, established in 1887, comprises 20,000 square miles in the State of Kansas. It has a Catholic population of about 114,000 in a total population of 947,000.

Joseph C. McKinney was born September 10, 1928 in Grand Rapids. He studied at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, December 20, 1953. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Lentini and Auxiliary Bishop of Grand Rapids on July 19, 1968, and ordained September 16, 1968.