George Henry Speltz
Encyclopedia
George Henry Speltz was an American
prelate
of the Catholic Church. He served as Auxiliary Bishop of Winona
(1963-66) and Bishop of St. Cloud
(1968-87).
, Minnesota
, one of seven children of Henry and Josephine (née Jung) Speltz. He attended Holy Trinity High School in Rollingstone
, and then studied at St. Mary's College
in Winona
, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in 1932. He continued his studies at St. Paul Seminary
in St. Paul
.
Speltz was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop Francis Kelly
on June 2, 1940. He then served as assistant pastor
of St. John's Church and superintendent
of Loretto High School in Caledonia
until 1941. In 1944, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy
degree in economics from the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
His thesis
was entitled: "Decentralization and the Social Obligations of the Land".
Returning to Minnesota, Speltz served as vice-chancellor
of the Diocese of Winona
(1944-47) and superintendent of diocesan schools (1945-49). In 1946, he was named pastor of St. Mary's Church in Minneiska
and a professor at St. Mary's College in Winona. He served as the first rector
of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
in Winona from 1948 to 1963.
On February 12, 1963, Speltz was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Winona and Titular Bishop
of Claneus by Pope John XXIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following March 25 from Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
, with Bishops Peter Bartholome
and Frederick Freking serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of St. Mary's Church in Winona from 1963 to 1966. He also attended the last three sessions of the Second Vatican Council
(1963-65).
On April 6, 1966, Speltz was appointed Coadjutor Bishop
of the Diocese of St. Cloud
by Pope Paul VI
. His installation took place on the following June 7. He succeeded Bishop Peter Bartholome as the sixth Bishop of St. Cloud
on January 31, 1968. He was president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1970 to 1972. In 1984, he initiated a ban to deny church weddings to couples who live together before they marry, unless they agreed to live apart before their wedding; he said cohabitation
"calls into question fundamental moral values that have long been central to the Christian tradition: the sacred character of sex and of the Christian family." He retired as Bishop of St. Cloud due to health concerns on January 13, 1987.
Speltz died at St. Benedict Senior Community in St. Cloud, at age 91. He is buried at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Catholic Church. He served as Auxiliary Bishop of Winona
Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona
The Diocese of Winona is the Roman Catholic diocese which ministers to the people of southern Minnesota. The diocese includes Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Rock, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonowan,...
(1963-66) and Bishop of St. Cloud
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. It was founded on September 22, 1889, out of territory that had been evangelized by the missionary priest Father Francis Xavier Pierz...
(1968-87).
Biography
George Speltz was born in AlturaAltura, Minnesota
Altura is a town in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 493 at the 2010 census.-History:Altura started out as a hunting ground for the Sioux Indians. They hunted deer, bear, wolves, quail, and other game native to the area. They also trapped mink and muskrat in the streams...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, one of seven children of Henry and Josephine (née Jung) Speltz. He attended Holy Trinity High School in Rollingstone
Rollingstone, Minnesota
Rollingstone is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 664 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, and then studied at St. Mary's College
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is a private, comprehensive, coeducational university with an undergraduate campus in the city of Winona, Minnesota, United States...
in Winona
Winona, Minnesota
Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, in the U.S. State of Minnesota. Located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf....
, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in 1932. He continued his studies at St. Paul Seminary
Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was founded by Archbishop John Ireland in 1894, to provide ordained priests for the ever-increasing Catholic population of the Upper Midwest. The seminary now sits on the south campus of the University of St. Thomas,...
in St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
.
Speltz was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Bishop Francis Kelly
Francis Martin Kelly
Francis Martin Kelly was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Winona from 1928 to 1949.-Biography:...
on June 2, 1940. He then served as assistant pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. John's Church and superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Loretto High School in Caledonia
Caledonia, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,965 people, 1,223 households, and 754 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,037.1 people per square mile . There were 1,286 housing units at an average density of 449.8 per square mile...
until 1941. In 1944, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in economics from the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
His thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
was entitled: "Decentralization and the Social Obligations of the Land".
Returning to Minnesota, Speltz served as vice-chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Diocese of Winona
Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona
The Diocese of Winona is the Roman Catholic diocese which ministers to the people of southern Minnesota. The diocese includes Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Rock, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonowan,...
(1944-47) and superintendent of diocesan schools (1945-49). In 1946, he was named pastor of St. Mary's Church in Minneiska
Minneiska, Minnesota
Minneiska is a city in Wabasha and Winona counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 111 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 square miles , of which, 0.6 square miles of it is land and...
and a professor at St. Mary's College in Winona. He served as the first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (Winona, Minnesota)
Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary is a Roman Catholic, Diocesan-sponsored college seminary in Winona, Minnesota. Located adjacent to the campus of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, IHM Seminary has provided college-level seminary training since 1948...
in Winona from 1948 to 1963.
On February 12, 1963, Speltz was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Winona and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Claneus by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following March 25 from Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald
Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Winona from 1949 to 1969.- Biography :...
, with Bishops Peter Bartholome
Peter William Bartholome
Peter William Bartholome was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Saint Cloud from 1953 to 1968.-Biography:...
and Frederick Freking serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Winona, Minnesota)
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona. The cathedral is located in Winona, Minnesota on Minnesota State Highway 43 near downtown. The current rector of the cathedral is Fr. Richard Colletti....
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of St. Mary's Church in Winona from 1963 to 1966. He also attended the last three sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
(1963-65).
On April 6, 1966, Speltz was appointed Coadjutor Bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of the Diocese of St. Cloud
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. It was founded on September 22, 1889, out of territory that had been evangelized by the missionary priest Father Francis Xavier Pierz...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. His installation took place on the following June 7. He succeeded Bishop Peter Bartholome as the sixth Bishop of St. Cloud
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. It was founded on September 22, 1889, out of territory that had been evangelized by the missionary priest Father Francis Xavier Pierz...
on January 31, 1968. He was president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1970 to 1972. In 1984, he initiated a ban to deny church weddings to couples who live together before they marry, unless they agreed to live apart before their wedding; he said cohabitation
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
"calls into question fundamental moral values that have long been central to the Christian tradition: the sacred character of sex and of the Christian family." He retired as Bishop of St. Cloud due to health concerns on January 13, 1987.
Speltz died at St. Benedict Senior Community in St. Cloud, at age 91. He is buried at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud.