Adam Joseph Maida (born March 18, 1930) is an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1990 to 2009, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994.[1] He previously served as Bishop of Green Bay from 1984 to 1990.[2]


Adam Joseph Maida
Cardinal,
Archbishop Emeritus of Detroit
Cardinal Maida in 2004
ChurchCatholic
ArchdioceseDetroit
AppointedApril 28, 1990
InstalledJune 12, 1990
RetiredJanuary 5, 2009
PredecessorEdmund Szoka
SuccessorAllen Henry Vigneron
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santi Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio
Previous post(s)
Orders
OrdinationMay 26, 1956
by John Francis Dearden
ConsecrationJanuary 25, 1984
by Pio Laghi, Aloysius John Wycisło, and Vincent Leonard
Created cardinalNovember 26, 1994
by John Paul II
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born (1930-03-18) March 18, 1930 (age 94)
Education
MottoFacere omnia nova
(Latin for 'To make all things new')
Coat of armsAdam Joseph Maida's coat of arms
Styles of
Adam Joseph Maida
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeDetroit (Emeritus)

Biography

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Early life and education

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Maida was born on March 18, 1930, in East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, to Adam and Sophie (née Cieslak) Maida.[3][4] The oldest of three children, he has two brothers, Thaddeus (who also became a priest) and Daniel.[5] His father immigrated from Poland at age 16, while his mother was the daughter of Polish immigrants.[5] He and his brothers attended public schools in East Vandergrift since there were no local Catholic schools.[6] Maida attended Vandergrift High School and Scott Township High School, each for one year.[1]

During his second year of high school, Maida decided to enter the priesthood. He entered St. Mary's Preparatory School in Orchard Lake Village, Michigan, graduating from there in 1948.[6] He then entered St. Mary's College, also in Orchard Lake Village.[7] In 1950, Maida transferred to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1952.[4] He received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's University in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1956.[7]

Ordination and ministry

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On May 26, 1956, Maida was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh by then Bishop John Dearden at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Pittsburgh.[2] After his ordination, Maida's first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania.[8] He later served at Holy Innocents Parish in Sheraden, Pennsylvania.[8]

In 1958, Bishop Dearden sent Maida to Rome to study at the Pontifical Lateran University, where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1960.[4] He received his Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh in 1964; he was admitted to practice law for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Federal Bar in Western Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Supreme Court.[1]

Maida served as vice-chancellor and general counsel (1965–1983) of the diocese.[6] In 1968, he was elected president of the Canon Law Society of America.[8] He served on a papal commission to draft a due process procedure giving the laity legal recourse within the church, and participated in the revision of the Code of Canon Law; for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, he worked on the adoption of a due process procedure and chaired the bishops' Canonical Affairs Committee.[6]

Maida served as a member of the diocesan tribunal, assistant professor of theology at La Roche College in McCandless, Pennsylvania, and adjunct professor of law at Duquesne University Law School (1971–1983).[7] He was also chaplain of the St. Thomas More Society.[4]

Ordination history of
Adam Maida
History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byPio Laghi (Apos. Del.)
DateJanuary 25, 1984
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Adam Maida as principal consecrator
Bernard Joseph HarringtonJanuary 6, 1994
Kevin Michael BrittJanuary 6, 1994
Carl Frederick MengelingJanuary 25, 1996
John Clayton NienstedtJuly 9, 1996
Allen Henry VigneronJuly 9, 1996
James Albert MurrayJanuary 27, 1998
Leonard Paul BlairAugust 24, 1999
Earl Alfred Boyea Jr.September 13, 2002
Walter Allison HurleyAugust 12, 2003
Francis Ronald ReissAugust 12, 2003
John Michael QuinnAugust 12, 2003
Alexander King SampleJanuary 25, 2006
Daniel E. FloresNovember 29, 2006

Bishop of Green Bay

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On November 8, 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Maida as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on January 25, 1984, from Archbishop Pio Laghi, with Bishops Aloysius Wycisło and Vincent Leonard serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Green Bay.[2]

During his tenure in Green Bay, Maida appointed the diocese's first female chancellor and first female parish director.[9] He also established a diocesan planning council and ministry formation program, initiated a diocesan census, implemented the RCIA process, and raised $9 million through Lumen Christi education endowment campaign.[9]

Archbishop of Detroit

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The coat of arms of Cardinal Maida, as Archbishop of Detroit

On April 28, 1990, John Paul II appointed Maida as the fourth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit.[10] He was installed on June 12, 1990.[11] On November 26, 1994, John Paul II elevated Maida to the Sacred College of Cardinals as Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio.[10] In 2000, Maida was appointed the first superior of the Mission sui iuris of the Cayman Islands.

In April 2005, following the death of John Paul II, Maida traveled to the Vatican as a cardinal elector to participate in the conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. Maida is no longer eligible to vote in any future conclaves as he reached his 80th birthday. On March 18, 2005, Maida sent his letter of resignation to Pope Benedict XVI, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.[10] The Vatican asked Maida to remain archbishop until further notice.[10] On June 8, 2006, Maida celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.[12]

In January 2007, Maida relieved Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Thomas Gumbleton of his pastoral duties at St. Leo Parish in Detroit. Gumbleton claimed he was being punished by Maida for his outspoken views on sexual abuse crimes by clergy. Maida claimed that he was following church rules on retirement of bishops.[13]

Retirement

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On January 5, 2009, the Holy See announced acceptance of Maida's resignation and the appointment of Bishop Allen Vigneron, from the Diocese of Oakland, as his successor. Vigneron was installed on January 28, 2009, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit[14][15] Maida became apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Detroit and assisted Vigneron with the transition.[16]

Maida celebrated his final Mass at the cathedral on January 25, 2009. This was also held in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his consecration as a bishop.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Cardinal Adam Maida". Archdiocese of Detroit. Archived from the original on 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  2. ^ a b c d "Adam Joseph Cardinal Maida [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. September 28, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
  3. ^ Terrie M. Rooney (April 1999). Newsmakers 1998: The People Behind Today's Headlines. Gale Group. p. 327. ISBN 978-0-7876-1230-6.
  4. ^ a b c d Miranda, Salvador. "MAIDA, Adam Joseph (1930- )". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Archived from the original on 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  5. ^ a b Lukowski, Kristin (2008-01-31). "Mrs. Sophie Maida". The Michigan Catholic. Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  6. ^ a b c d "50th Anniversary of Ordination". Archdiocese of Detroit. Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  7. ^ a b c "MAIDA, Adam Joseph". Holy See. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  8. ^ a b c Sharpe, Jerry (1983-11-08). "Priest here named Green Bay bishop". Pittsburgh Press.
  9. ^ a b "Bishops of the Diocese of Green Bay". Diocese of Green Bay. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  10. ^ a b c d "Cardinal Maida retires; successor named". The Compass – Diocese of Green Bay. January 9, 2009.
  11. ^ "Photo Gallery, Adam Maida, shepherd of the Archdiocese of Detroit". Detroit News. 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-01-22. Picture 4 caption: Cardinal Edmund Szoka and Archbishop Adam Maida face the congregation at Maida's installation as Archbishop of Detroit, June 12, 1990.
  12. ^ Krupa, Gregg (June 9, 2006). "Cardinal Maida Counts His Blessings". The Detroit News.
  13. ^ Goodstein, Laurie (2007-01-26). "Outspoken Catholic Pastor Replaced; He Says It's Retaliation". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  14. ^ Wilkinson, Mike. "Maida's successor will be first native son to lead Archdiocese of Detroit". Detroit News. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  15. ^ "Detroit Gets New Archbishop". WDIV. 2009-01-05. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  16. ^ Yonke, David (January 6, 2009). "Archbishop appointed to Detroit diocese". Toledo Blade. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  17. ^ Jim Lynch (2009-01-26). "More than 1,000 attend final Mass for archbishop Maida". Detroit News. Retrieved 2009-01-26. On Sunday (January 25, 2009), with Maida celebrating his final regular Mass as the archbishop of Detroit, Butkunas and Giedraitis traveled to Detroit for a special 3 p.m. service at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. ... More than 1,000 people crammed Blessed Sacrament Sunday for a service that marked the 25-year anniversary of Maida's ordination.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Green Bay
7 November 1983 – 28 April 1990
Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of Detroit
28 April 1990 – 5 January 2009
Succeeded by
Mission sui iuris erected Ecclesiastical Superior of the Cayman Islands
14 July 2000 – 5 January 2009