Archbishop George Niederauer, the eighth archbishop of San Francisco and a leader in the contentious 2008 battle to pass Proposition 8 that banned same-sex marriage in California, has died.
Archbishop Niederauer died Tuesday of lung disease at Nazareth House, a Catholic senior care facility in San Rafael, at the age of 80.
“Religious leaders have the constitutional right to speak out on issues of public policy,” Archbishop Niederauer wrote a month after the closely fought measure passed on a 52-to-48 percent vote. “Catholic bishops have a responsibility to teach the faith, and our beliefs about marriage and family are part of this faith.”
The archbishop, praised by colleagues for his devotion, service and spirituality, spoke boldly at the time of his 2005 appointment in support of gay priests and disputed allegations that gay priests were a cause of sexual abuse of minors by priests.
Archbishop Niederauer, formerly the bishop of Salt Lake City, was a native of Los Angeles, where he attended Catholic elementary school.
As a student at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, he met 14-year-old William Levada, the future San Francisco archbishop and cardinal, who remained his lifelong friend.
Archbishop Niederauer studied briefly at Stanford University before receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo (Ventura County), a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., a master’s degree in English literature from Loyola University in Los Angeles and a doctorate in English literature from the University of Southern California.
In 1995, he was ordained bishop of Salt Lake City, where he served until being appointed archbishop of San Francisco in 2005, succeeding Levada in the post. Archbishop Niederauer retired in 2012, a year after undergoing emergency heart bypass surgery. He was succeeded by current Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, another fervent backer of Prop. 8. In his retirement, Archbishop Niederauer devoted himself to conducting retreats and counseling for fellow clergy.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held May 12 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1111 Gough St., San Francisco.
Full story at SF Gate.
Maybe if the words “gay” or “homosexual” had been used in this posting, there would be comments? Trigger words usually bring out the worst in this site’s readers.
R.I.P.
God bless him.
May the soul of Archbishop Neiderauer and all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Of course, SF Gate reporters would omit Bp Niederauaer giving Communion to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of homosexual men who dress like garish Halloween nuns and mock the Church. And yes, he did apologize—sort of. And yes, he made certain that Most Holy Redeemer continued to have programs and speakers who mocked the Catholic faith.
I am sure that homosexuals have always been welcome through the years to come to Church, to pray, to ask for forgiveness and try, like the rest of us, to sin no more.
What is objectionable, is that activist gays and bishops like Niederauaer, promote a faux-Catholicism which embraces the sin of homosexuality as acceptable.
https://www.lifesitenews…
As of yet, I have seen no reports of the death and funeral Mass of Abp. Niederauer, in secular news sources. Prior to Vatican II, the final illness and death of a local Catholic prelate, would be a big news topic! How times have changed! — and the Catholic Church is no longer respected! May Abp. Niederauer’s soul rest in peace– but it is such a shame, that our Church is no longer a huge moral and spiritual leader, for the world– which so needs it!
Linda maria- SFGate is the free online version of the San Francisco Chronicle. I’m sure that was a simple mistake, but it would be nice if you did a little fact checking before you rant and criticise. It’s not like this CCD article wasn’t taken from SFGate word-for-word, because it was. You didn’t even have to enter anything into the Google machine.
Your Fellow Catholic, calm down– I am not “ranting and criticizing!” Everyone knows about online SFGate. Overall– there was very little news coverage, in the secular press, including TV news– of this Catholic prelate. The only way I knew about Abp. Niederauer’s final illness and death, was by the priests at church, asking us all to pray for him, as well as retired Abp. Quinn, and several other prelates and priests. Then we were told of Niederauer’s death. No doubt– the secular press would just love a news story, of the final illness and AIDS-related death, of one of the despicable “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence!”
Archbishop George Niederauer, 80 years old, was a longtime close colleague of Cardinal Roger Mahony (81) and Archbishop William Levada (80). Each of them has a history, according to SNAP, of protecting pederast priests by shielding them from law enforcement and allowing them to continue their pedophilia.
Cover-up of a crime, especially crimes against children, is despicable
Tom,
Your statements are true, but your statements also imply guilt through association: a logical fallacy.
Tom, you are correct, regarding Mahoney and Levada, in these news stories.
However, I don’t know if Niederauer was likewise. But we all know he was not a true, orthodox Catholic prelate– like most Vatican II prelates, he did many wrong things!
I once knew Archbishop Niederauer. I think he would very much appreciate it if you would pray for him.
George was my rector in the seminary, and led us faithfully toward chastity, holiness, sanctity, love, and pastoral priesthood. Requiem eternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua lucent eis. Cum Sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Wasn’t he a die-hard Democrat?
They all were back then, before the Dems became the party of death.
When I let the Archbishop know of the fact that condoms were being given out at the ‘health center’ at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, he wrote me back and told me he was as upset as I was and that he would take care of the matter! AND HE DID!!!
You know a lot of things (and I’m speaking of good things) we don’t hear about that our Bishops do……people only want to speak of the things that are not so good.
Pray for him!!!
What a shame, that there seems to be very little secular news stories, about the death of Abp. Niederauer– except for the SF Gate news story! The TV networks did not seem to report his death, either. In the pre- Vatican II era, Catholic prelates’ life events, and deaths– were always serious news stories! Many of our modern Catholic prelates are not perfect Role Models, for our Faith– but regardless of that, I think that their life events, and deaths, should always be major news stories! Our modern-day journalism is immature and immoral, anyway– they prefer to do news stories of deaths of filthy, slimy, dope-addicted entertainers!
I believe Archbishop said that Nancy Pelosi was a faithful and loyal practicing Catholic. By staunchly endorsing this liberal from the cuckoo’s nest, it proves that Archbishop Niederauer should have known better.
May AB Niederauer rest in Peace. It is up to our good and loving Father to judge AB Niederauer – not us.
Please pray for him and ourselves as well. He who is without sin – cast the first stone.
YES INDEED, JAMES KELLY! AMEN!!
Yes, as we Catholics say (!):
“Of the dead dpesk not ill.”
When he who is without sin cast the first stone, it did not work out too well for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps you should be praying for the forgiveness of sins.
Our Catholic Faith should never be viewed as an inconsistent hodgepodge teaching barrage of very mixed messages and confusing actions that publicly undermine the Truth in the name of “being pastoral”. How monumental a duty to be an Archbishop responsible for the souls of so many, including priests. Yes, It is our Catholic duty to remember to pray for the soul of Archbishop Niederauer. It is a great act of charity to remember to pray for all souls.
continued….
continued,
Have our shepherds been selfishly erring on the side of their own comfort zone in not wanting to challenge the comfort zone of us sinners? Why is that? Is it because they do not truly believe or accept what the Church teaches….. OR is it a fear of the loss of human respect or friendships? Why is that stagnant comfort zone trumping the healthier fear of first not wanting to ever offend God? Where O Where is the intellectual honesty? How can our shepherds truly consider themselves as “being pastoral” when Christ’s sheep are perishing from lack of knowledge?
“A special and unique Church leader has returned home to God, and his 55 years of priestly and episcopal ministry have enriched the Church and its members across the western states and beyond. May he continue to intercede for us as he resides in the presence of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.” – Cardinal Roger M. Mahony
This is another VERY TERRIBLE spiritual injustice! We are NEVER to assume that anyone went directly to heaven! Our Catholic Faith teaches us to pray for all of the souls in Purgatory and especially for the souls of our loved ones. Many shepherds have become so FIXATED on the sound of the word “pastoral” when their actions belie the cruelest of spiritual neglects!
O Gentlest Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls. have mercy on the soul of Thy departed servant. Be not severe in Thy judgement, but let some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames, and do Thou. O Merciful Savior, send Thy angels to conduct Thy departed servant to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen. = “Pastoral”
Fr. John Ring, who was Pastor of San Francisco’s St. Vincent de Paul church for about 25 years, died on Friday, May 5th. Many years ago, I asked him several times, why in the world he would publicly praise Nancy and Paul Pelosi, and Gavin Newsom, for being “wonderful Catholic parishioners” at his parish, their “home: parish,” of which he was very proud! His reply to my complaints — was always that “every Catholic is entitled to their own point of view!” And I would then say– “How about God’s point of view, does that matter?” Where were the parish priests, to teach the Catholic Faith to everyone??
Sadly, I think there is not much we can do, regarding our errant Church in the Vatican Ii era– except pray!