William S. Skylstad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend William Stephen Skylstad |
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| Bishop Emeritus of Spokane | |
| Diocese | Spokane |
| Appointed | April 17, 1990 |
| Enthroned | April 27, 1990 |
| Predecessor | Lawrence Welsh |
| Successor | Blase J. Cupich |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 21, 1960 |
| Consecration | May 12, 1977 by Raymond Hunthausen, Bernard Joseph Topel, and Bernard Francis Law |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 2, 1934 Methow, Washington |
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| Styles of William Stephen Skylstad |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
William Stephen Skylstad (born March 2, 1934) is an American leader in the Catholic Church. He served as a bishop in Washington State for many years.
From 1990 to 2010, he was the bishop of the Spokane Diocese. Before that, he was the bishop of the Yakima Diocese from 1977 to 1990.
Bishop Skylstad also led the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This is a group of Catholic bishops in the United States. In 2011, he helped lead the Baker Diocese in Oregon for a short time.
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About William Skylstad
Early Life and Family
William Skylstad was born in Omak, Washington, on March 2, 1934. He was the oldest of six children in his family. His father, Stephen Skylstad, was an apple farmer from Norway.
His father was a Lutheran, but his mother, Reneldes Elizabeth Danzl-Skylstad, was Catholic. She was from Minnesota.
When William was 14, he decided he wanted to become a Catholic priest. He left home to study at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio.
Becoming a Priest
On May 21, 1960, William Skylstad became a priest for the Spokane Diocese. That same year, he went to Washington State University. He also worked as an assistant pastor at a church in Pullman, Washington.
In 1960, Skylstad started teaching at Mater Cleri. This was a special school for young men studying to become priests. He helped decide if students were ready for the priesthood.
He also studied at Gonzaga University from 1961 to 1964. In 1968, he became the leader of Mater Cleri. That same year, he became the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Colbert. He also advised the bishop on issues with priests. He worked at Mater Cleri and St. Joseph until 1974.
In 1974, Skylstad became the pastor at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Spokane, Washington. In 1976, he became a top administrator for the diocese.
Serving as Bishop of Yakima
On February 22, 1977, Pope Paul VI chose Skylstad to be the bishop of Yakima. He officially became a bishop on May 12, 1977. This ceremony happened at Holy Family Cathedral in Yakima, Washington.
Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen led the ceremony. Bishop Bernard Topel and Bishop Bernard Law also helped.
Serving as Bishop of Spokane
On April 17, 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed Skylstad as the fifth Bishop of Spokane. He officially started his new role on April 27, 1990.
From 2001, he was the vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). On November 15, 2004, he was chosen to be the president of the USCCB for three years.
In December 2004, the Spokane Diocese faced financial challenges. They worked to create a plan to help people who had been harmed by priests. As part of this plan, the diocese agreed to pay money to these individuals. This money came from insurance, selling church property, and donations.
Retirement and Later Work
On June 30, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Bishop Skylstad's request to retire.
In 2016, a group called Catholic Charities USA honored Bishop Skylstad. They named him one of their volunteers of the year. He was recognized for helping people at the House of Charity in Spokane. He offered advice and spiritual guidance. Bishop Skylstad also helped connect people with the assistance they needed.
