Jump to content

Jeffrey M. Fleming

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jeffrey Michael Fleming
Bishop of Great Falls-Billings
DioceseGreat Falls-Billings
AppointedApril 19, 2022 (as Coadjutor)
InstalledAugust 22, 2023
Previous post(s)Chancellor, Diocese of Helena
Orders
OrdinationMay 19, 1992
by Elden Francis Curtiss
ConsecrationJune 22, 2022
by Michael William Warfel, Alexander King Sample, and Austin Vetter
Personal details
Born (1966-02-10) February 10, 1966 (age 58)
Alma materCarroll College
Mount Angel Seminary
Catholic University of America
MottoGo make disciples
Styles of
Jeffrey Michael Fleming
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Jeffrey Michael Fleming (born February 10, 1966) is an American bishop of the Catholic Church and is the bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings in Montana. Fleming was named coadjutor in 2022 and bishop in 2023.

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Jeffrey Fleming was born in Billings, Montana, on February 10, 1966, to Mike and Glenda (nee Gibson) Fleming, and raised in Belt, Montana, along with two sisters.[1] Jeffrey Fleming received his sacraments of Confession, First Holy Communion and Confirmation at Saint Mark's Catholic Church in Belt.

Fleming obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and religious education at Carroll College in Helena, Montana, in 1988.[2] He earned his Master of Theology degree at Mount Angel Seminary in Saint Benedict, Oregon, in 1992.[3]

Priesthood

[edit]

Fleming was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Helena on May 19, 1992 by Eldon F. Curtiss, Bishop of Helena.[4][2] After his 1992 ordination, the diocese assigned Fleming as parochial vicar of the Anaconda Catholic Community in Anaconda Four years later, he was transferred to the Saint Helena Cathedral Parish to serve as associate pastor there.[3]

Fleming then traveled to Washington D.C. to attend the Catholic University of America (CUA). He received a Licentiate of Canon Law from the CUA School of Canon Law in 1998.[3] After returning to Montana in 1998, Fleming was named as chaplain of Carroll College. Fleming left Carroll in 2003 for several assignments as pastor in several Montana parishes:

Bishop Austin Vetter appointed Fleming in 2019 as director of chancery services, vice chancellor, and adjutant judicial vicar. He was also named as administrator of Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish in Helmville, Montana and of Saint Jude Parish in Lincoln, Montana. He was elevated in 2020 to chancellor, moderator of the curia and adjunct judicial vicar.[2] Fleming also served on the priests council and the college of consultors, as well as a board member of Missoula Catholic Schools.[5]

In response to a 2020 instruction[6] from the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy regarding role of the parish in view of the institutional decline of the Catholic Church, Fleming said that every parishioner is called to be a:

"...witness of Christ, a light to the world..Pope Francis is calling us to be a church that looks outwardly, not just inside the church itself... To bring more people to the table, especially the poor and marginalized."[7]

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Great Falls-Billings

[edit]
Coat of Arms as Coadjutor Bishop of Great Falls-Billings

Pope Francis appointed Fleming as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings on April 19, 2022 to assist Bishop Michael Warfel[3][8] He was consecrated by Warfel in Great Falls, Montana, on June 22 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.[8][9][3] Bishop George Leo Thomas was to have served as one of his co-consecrators but tested positive for COVID-19. Archbishop Alexander Sample served in his place.

Pope Francis accepted Warfel's resignation on 22 Aug 2023. Fleming succeeded Warfel as bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings at that time.[3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Glenda Fleming". Great Falls Tribune. May 16, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Legacy.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Rinunce e nomine, 19.04.2022" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Pope Francis Names Father Jeffrey Fleming of Diocese of Helena as Coadjutor Bishop of Great Falls-Billings". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  4. ^ "Helena, Mont., diocesan chancellor is named Great Falls-Billings coadjutor". Our Sunday Visitor. 2022-04-19. Archived from the original on 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  5. ^ "About MCS". Missoula Catholic Schools. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  6. ^ "Instruction "The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church", of the Congregation for the Clergy". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  7. ^ "Vatican instructions give parishioners more hope in face of closings". National Catholic Reporter. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  8. ^ a b "Fr Jeffrey Michael Fleming named Coadjutor Bishop of Great Falls-Billings" (PDF). Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  9. ^ "Fleming named as successor to Bishop Warfel". Retrieved April 19, 2022.
[edit]
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Great Falls-Billings
2023-Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
-
Coadjutor of Great Falls-Billings
2022-2023
Succeeded by
-