# Kenneth Steiner

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kenneth_Steiner
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kenneth_Steiner.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Steiner
> Source revision: 1357296122
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|American prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1936)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type                = Bishop
| honorific_prefix    = [His Excellency](/source/Excellency), [The Most Reverend](/source/The_Most_Reverend)
| name                = Kenneth Donald Steiner
| honorific_suffix    = 
| title               = Auxiliary Bishop of [Portland in Oregon](/source/Archdiocese_of_Portland_in_Oregon)
| image               = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = 
| church              = [Catholic](/source/Catholic)
| archdiocese         = [Portland in Oregon](/source/Archdiocese_of_Portland_in_Oregon)
| appointed           = November 28, 1977
| enthroned           = March 2, 1978
| retired             = November 25, 2011
| predecessor         = 
| successor           = 
| other_post          = {{Ubl
  | [Titular Bishop](/source/Titular_Bishop) of [Avensa](/source/Avensa_(Africa)) {{nowrap|(1977– )}}
  | [Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus](/source/Auxiliary_Bishop_Emeritus) of Portland in Oregon {{nowrap|(2011– )}}
  }}
<!---------- Orders ---------->
| ordination          = May 19, 1962
| ordained_by         = [Edward Howard](/source/Edward_Howard_(bishop))
| consecration        = March 2, 1978
| consecrated_by      = [Cornelius Michael Power](/source/Cornelius_Michael_Power), [Elden Francis Curtiss](/source/Elden_Francis_Curtiss), and [Alfredo Méndez-Gonzalez](/source/Alfredo_M%C3%A9ndez-Gonzalez)
| cardinal            = 
| created_cardinal_by = 
| rank                = 
<!---------- Personal details ---------->
| birth_name          = 
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1936|11|25}}
| birth_place         = [David City, Nebraska](/source/David_City%2C_Nebraska), US
| death_date          = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place         = 
| parents             = <!-- include only if they are independently notable or particularly relevant. -->
| previous_post       = 
| education           = {{Ubl
  | Mount Angel Seminary High School and College
  | St. Thomas the Apostle Seminary
  }}
| motto               = To serve and to unite
<!---------- Sainthood ---------->
| feast_day           = 
| venerated           = 
| saint_title         = 
| beatified_date      = 
| beatified_place     = 
| beatified_by        = 
| canonized_date      = 
| canonized_place     = 
| canonized_by        = 
| attributes          = 
| patronage           = 
| shrine              = 
| suppressed_date     = 
<!---------- Other ---------->
| module              = 
| other               = 
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles
| name=  Kenneth Donald Steiner
| dipstyle= {{blist
  | [His Excellency](/source/Excellency)
  | [The Most Reverend](/source/The_Most_Reverend)
  }}
| offstyle=[Your Excellency](/source/Your_Excellency)
| relstyle=[Bishop](/source/Bishop)
| image = Mitre (plain).svg
| image_size = 200px
}}

'''Kenneth Donald Steiner''' (born November 25, 1936) is an American [prelate](/source/prelate) of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church). He served as [auxiliary bishop](/source/auxiliary_bishop) of the [Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon](/source/Archdiocese_of_Portland_in_Oregon) from 1978 to 2011.

==Biography==

=== Early life ===
Kenneth Steiner was born on November 25, 1936, in [David City, Nebraska](/source/David_City%2C_Nebraska), one of five children of Lawrence and Florine Steiner.<ref name="vlazny">{{cite news |date=2003-02-28 |work=Catholic Sentinel |title=Bishop Steiner has served archdiocese with faith and love |url=http://www.catholicsentinel.org/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&ArticleID=396 |last=Vlazny |first=John |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009141200/http://www.catholicsentinel.org/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&ArticleID=396 |archive-date=2011-10-09 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Kenneth Steiner barely survived a bout of [pneumonia](/source/pneumonia) when he was one month old.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |first1=Ed |last1=Langlois |title=Long-serving bishop has stood by his promise to put others first |url=https://www.catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Local/Article/Long-serving-bishop-has-stood-by-his-promise-to-put-others-first/2/35/35296|access-date=2022-02-06 |website=Catholic Sentinel |language=en-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319213930/https://www.catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Local/Article/Long-serving-bishop-has-stood-by-his-promise-to-put-others-first/2/35/35296 |archive-date=2018-03-19 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Lawrence Steiner died when Kenneth was very young, and the family then moved to [Oregon](/source/Oregon), where he attended St. Rose Grade School in [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon).<ref name="hannum">{{cite news |date=2003-02-28 |work=Catholic Sentinel |title=Archdiocese celebrates 25 years of bishop's service |url=http://www.catholicsentinel.org/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=393&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&S=1 |last=Hannum |first=Kristen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009141228/http://www.catholicsentinel.org/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=393&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&S=1 |archive-date=2011-10-09 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

While studying at [Mount Angel Seminary High School and College](/source/Mount_Angel_Abbey) in Saint Benedict, Oregon, Kenneth Steiner worked at Blanchet House, a residence for homeless men in Portland, and at a farm in [Yamhill County.](/source/Yamhill_County%2C_Oregon)<ref name=":0" /> After finishing at Mount Angel in 1958, Steiner entered St. Thomas the Apostle Seminary in [Kenmore, Washington](/source/Kenmore%2C_Washington).<ref name="archdpdx">{{cite web |publisher=[Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon](/source/Archdiocese_of_Portland_in_Oregon) |title=Auxiliary Bishop |url=http://www.archdpdx.org/auxiliary |access-date=2011-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810170826/http://www.archdpdx.org/auxiliary/ |archive-date=2011-08-10}}</ref>  He graduated from St. Thomas in 1962.<ref name=":0" />

=== Priesthood ===
Steiner was [ordained](/source/Holy_Orders) into the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon by Archbishop [Edward Howard](/source/Edward_Howard_(bishop)) on May 19, 1962.<ref name="hierarchy">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=[Catholic-Hierarchy.org](/source/Catholic-Hierarchy.org) |title=Bishop Kenneth Donald Steiner |url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsteiner.html |publisher=David M. Cheney |date=2022-10-09}}{{Self-published source|date=March 2015}}</ref> After his ordination, Steiner was assigned as an associate pastor at St. Monica Parish in [Coos Bay, Oregon](/source/Coos_Bay%2C_Oregon), where he remained until 1967.<ref name="archdpdx" /> He then served at [St. Mary's Cathedral Parish](/source/St._Mary's_Cathedral_(Portland%2C_Oregon)) (1967–1970) and at St. Stephen Parish (1970–1972), both in Portland.<ref name="archdpdx" /> In Portland, Steiner also began a marriage preparation program and a ministry to divorced and separated Catholics.<ref name="hannum" /> At one of his parishes, he allowed the [homeless](/source/Homelessness) to camp outside his residence.<ref name=":0" />

In 1972, Steiner was named [pastor](/source/pastor) of Holy Name Parish in [Coquille, Oregon](/source/Coquille%2C_Oregon), with its missions in [Myrtle Point, Oregon](/source/Myrtle_Point%2C_Oregon) and [Powers, Oregon](/source/Powers%2C_Oregon).<ref name="parish">{{cite news |date=2010-06-24 |work=Catholic Sentinel |title=Archdiocese of Portland announces 2010 parish reassignments |url=http://catholicsentinel55.1upprelaunch.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&ArticleID=11243 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313063931/http://catholicsentinel55.1upprelaunch.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&ArticleID=11243 |archive-date=2012-03-13 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He then served as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in [Roy, Oregon](/source/Roy%2C_Oregon) (1976–1978) and chairman of the Priests' Personnel Committee (1976–1977).<ref name="parish" />

=== Auxiliary Bishop of Portland in Oregon ===
On November 28, 1977, Steiner was appointed as an [auxiliary bishop](/source/Auxiliary_Bishop) of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon and [titular bishop](/source/Titular_Bishop) of ''Avensa'' by [Pope Paul VI](/source/Pope_Paul_VI).<ref name="hierarchy" /> Steiner received his [episcopal](/source/Bishop_(Catholic_Church)) [consecration](/source/consecration) on March 2, 1978, from Archbishop [Cornelius Power](/source/Cornelius_Michael_Power), with Bishops [Elden Curtiss](/source/Elden_Francis_Curtiss) and [Alfredo Méndez-Gonzalez](/source/Alfredo_M%C3%A9ndez-Gonzalez) as co-consecrators,, at the [Portland Civic Auditorium](/source/Keller_Auditorium).<ref name="hierarchy" /> In addition to his episcopal duties, Steiner served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in [Corvallis, Oregon](/source/Corvallis%2C_Oregon) (until 2000), vicar for clergy and clergy personnel director (1978–1980), vicar for worship and ministry (1979–1981), and chairman of the Priests' Retirement Facility Committee (1986–1993).<ref name="archdpdx" />

Steiner served as archdiocesan administrator before the appointments of Archbishops [Francis George](/source/Francis_George) (1996) and [John Vlazny](/source/John_George_Vlazny) (1997). He served as pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in [Milwaukie, Oregon](/source/Milwaukie%2C_Oregon) (2000–2002) before being named to St. Edward Parish in [North Plains, Oregon](/source/North_Plains%2C_Oregon).<ref name="parish" /> He also served as vicar for senior and infirm priests and a member of the Resource Development Office.<ref name="vlazny" />  As bishop, Steiner was a frequent visitor to [death row](/source/death_row) inmates in Oregon prisons.<ref name=":0" />

=== Retirement ===
Having reached his 75th birthday, the mandatory retirement age for bishops, Steiner sent his letter of resignation as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in 2011 to [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI).  The pope accepted it on November 25, 2011.<ref name="hierarchy" />

==See also==
{{div col}}
* [Catholic Church hierarchy](/source/Catholic_Church_hierarchy)
* [Catholic Church in the United States](/source/Catholic_Church_in_the_United_States)
* [Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States](/source/Historical_list_of_the_Catholic_bishops_of_the_United_States)
* [List of Catholic bishops of the United States](/source/List_of_Catholic_bishops_of_the_United_States)
* [Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops](/source/Lists_of_patriarchs%2C_archbishops%2C_and_bishops)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote-inline}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/bishops-ST.htm#2327 Kenneth Donald Steiner] at [http://www.gcatholic.org/ GCatholic.org]
* [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsteiner.html Kenneth Donald Steiner] at [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org Catholic-Hierarchy.org]

==Episcopal succession==
{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef|before=&ndash;}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Auxiliary Bishop of Portland in Oregon](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Portland_in_Oregon)|years=1978–2011}}
{{s-aft|after=&ndash;}}
{{s-end}}

{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon|state=collapsed}}
{{portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|Oregon}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steiner, Kenneth}}
Category:1936 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from David City, Nebraska
Category:Clergy from Portland, Oregon
Category:Mount Angel Seminary
Category:Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
Category:Catholics from Nebraska

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kenneth Steiner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Steiner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Steiner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.