Bishop John Quinn of Detroit named Coadjutor Bishop of Winona

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His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has named Bishop John Michael Quinn, former Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Winona. The announcement was made October 15 by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, papal nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Quinn will serve with and then succeed Bishop Bernard Harrington, who, upon reaching the age of 75 in September, submitted his request for retirement to the Vatican. When Bishop Harrington’s retirement is accepted, Bishop Quinn will relinquish the title of Coadjutor and become Bishop of the Diocese of Winona.

Bishop Harrington is also from the Archdiocese of Detroit, having served as an auxiliary bishop there for four years before he was named bishop of Winona in the fall of 1998.

In remarks prepared for delivery at an introductory news briefing, Bishop Quinn said he was “humbled by the Holy Father’s appointment, and delighted for the opportunity to serve the faithful of Winona.” Bishop Quinn commended what he called the “phenomenal job” done by his long-time friend, Bishop Harrington. “It will be a pleasure to serve with him again,” Bishop Quinn said.

For his part, Bishop Harrington acknowledged Bishop Quinn’s “magnificent pastoral skills,” and described him as “joy-filled person.”

“The Diocese of Winona is blessed to have Bishop Quinn as the new Coadjutor Bishop,” said Bishop Harrington. “He brings with him many talents. He is committed to Catholic Education. He is a strong supporter of the rights of the poor. He is a jovial, fun-filled person who will fit in very well here in the Diocese of Winona. God has blessed us with a great bishop of faith and humility.”

Bishop Quinn has served under Adam Cardinal Maida of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Of Bishop Quinn’s appointment, Cardinal Maida said, “As a parish priest, educator, administrator, and auxiliary bishop, Bishop Quinn has always been helpful and hope-filled during his ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Among his many strengths, his relationship with and respect for his brother priests; among his many gifts, his love and care for the poor and marginalized. His commitment to Catholic education and evangelization is superior.”

“The Diocese of Winona is indeed fortunate to have Bishop Quinn as their next spiritual leader,” Cardinal Maida said. “Along with his many friends in the clergy and in the laity here in the Archdiocese of Detroit, I join in wishing him God’s blessings and many happy years of ministry as the next bishop of Winona.”

Born and raised in Detroit, Bishop Quinn, 62, was ordained to the priesthood in 1972. He served as a pastor, Director of Education, and faculty member at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He was named an auxiliary bishop in 2003.

The installation liturgy will be held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona on Dec. 11. The ceremony will be streamed live via the Internet and may be broadcast on television stations in the Diocese of Winona.

Updates on the transition will appear in the diocesan newspaper, “The Courier,” and on the diocese’s website at www.dow.org.

Comprised of 20 counties across the southern tier of Minnesota, there are 148,400 Catholics in the Winona diocese. The most recent statistics indicate 79 active priests, 115 parishes, 33 schools, one seminary and one Catholic university. The 12-thousand-plus square mile diocese resides in the Province of St. Paul and Minneapolis, led by Archbishop John Nienstedt, who also served in the Detroit archdiocese as an auxiliary bishop until the summer of 2001.

Cardinal Adam Maida described Bishop Quinn as someone who has always been "helpful and hope-filled" in his approach to his many and varied assignments over the years. In particular, the cardinal noted Bishop Quinn's "…rapport with and support of his brother priests, his commitment to Catholic education and catechetics, his love and care for the poor and marginalized, and his advancement of evangelization."

In praising the pope's selection, the cardinal said, "the Diocese of Winona is indeed fortunate to have Bishop Quinn as their next spiritual leader." He joined with the bishop's many friends in the clergy and in the laity in the archdiocese to wish him "God's blessings and many happy years of ministry as the next Bishop of Winona."

Introduced to his new diocese, Bishop Quinn said he was "humbled by the Holy Father's appointment, and delighted for the opportunity to serve the faithful of Winona." Bishop Quinn commended what he called the "phenomenal job" done by his long-time friend, Bishop Harrington. "It will be a pleasure to serve with him again," Bishop Quinn said.

For his part, Bishop Harrington acknowledged Bishop Quinn's "magnificent pastoral skills," and his "jovial, fun-filled personality."

Born and raised in Detroit, Bishop Quinn, 62, was ordained to the priesthood in 1972. He served as a parish priest and pastor, Director of Education, and a faculty member at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He was named an auxiliary bishop in 2003.

The installation liturgy at the newly renovated Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona is planned for Thursday, December 11

Bishop John Michael Quinn was born in Detroit on December 17, 1945 and grew up in Our Lady
of Good Counsel Parish, on Detroit’s eastside. He was the youngest of the three children of the
late George and Mary Quinn.

Bishop Quinn’s brother, George, is deceased. His sister, Patricia Hays, and her husband, Robert,
live in Grosse Pointe Farms. They have three children: Barbara, Susan Marrs, and Jeffrey.

Bishop Quinn attended Our Lady of Good Counsel Elementary School, Detroit, and St. Anthony
High School, Detroit.

Bishop Quinn was ordained to the priesthood on March 17, 1972 at St. Raymond Parish, Detroit,
where he had served as a deacon.

Bishop Quinn studied at Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; St. John’s Provincial Seminary,
Plymouth; the University of Detroit/Mercy; and the Catholic University of America, Washington,
D.C.

Bishop Quinn holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in philosophy from Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit;
a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth; a Masters in religious
studies and Masters in systemic theology from the University of Detroit/Mercy. He has also done
graduate work in religious studies at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

Bishop Quinn has held a variety of assignments. His many parish assignments include associate
pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Farmington, and St. Peter Parish, Harper Woods; and
pastor of St. Luke Parish, Detroit. He has also served as associate director for justice and peace
and for religious education of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

From July of 1990 to July of 2003, Bishop Quinn served as director of the Education Department
of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He is the Cardinal’s delegate to Sacred Heart Major Seminary,
Detroit and remains there as well as an adjunct member of the faculty.

Bishop Quinn was designated a Prelate of Honor with the title of Monsignor by His Holiness Pope
John Paul II in 1990.

Bishop Quinn was installed as the 23rd auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit on August 12,
2003 at Detroit’s Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. He was named head of the Titular
See of Ressiana. A titular see is a former diocese, now nonexistent, to which a bishop is given
honorary title if he is not the residential bishop of a diocese of archdiocese.

In September of 2003, Bishop Quinn was appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Central Region of the
Archdiocese of Detroit which includes the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, the Grosse
Pointes and Harper Woods.

In October of 2008, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Quinn as coadjutor and
eighth bishop of the Diocese of Winona in southern Minnesota. He is to be installed at Winona’s
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on December 11, 2008.

Pastoral Responsibilities
Delegate of Cardinal Maida to: Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Cayman Islands – Missio Sui Juris
World Youth day Preparation and Celebrations
Antilles Conference of Catholic Bishops

Board of Trustees of Catholic Institutions
Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI
Madonna University, Livonia, MI
Loyola High School, Detroit, MI
Board Member of Service Agencies
New Detroit
Salvation Army
Habitat for Humanity

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
African American Catholics Committee
Catholic Campus Ministry Committee

Episcopal Appointments
Episcopal Advisor – USCCB Commission on Accreditation and Certification
Episcopal Advisor – National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Episcopal Moderator – The Blessed Adolph Kolping Society

Membership
Chaplain – The Equestrian Order of The Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
Member - The International Order of Alhambra

Winona Daily News Video Interviews on October 15, 2008