William Joseph Dendinger

William Joseph Dendinger (born May 20, 1939) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.[1][2][3] Appointed by Pope John Paul II, he served as the seventh Bishop of Grand Island, Nebraska from December 13, 2004, until his resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on Wednesday, January 14, 2015.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

William Joseph Dendinger
Bishop Emeritus of Grand Island
Dendinger as the 13th Chief of Air Force Chaplains
ArchdioceseOmaha
DioceseGrand Island
AppointedOctober 14, 2004
InstalledDecember 13, 2004
Term endedJanuary 14, 2015
PredecessorLawrence James McNamara
SuccessorJoseph G. Hanefeldt
Orders
OrdinationMay 29, 1965
ConsecrationDecember 13, 2004
by Elden Francis Curtiss, Fabian Bruskewitz, and Lawrence James McNamara
Personal details
Born (1939-05-20) May 20, 1939
Coleridge, Nebraska
MottoJustice with mercy
Styles of
William Joseph Dendinger
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Biography

William Dendinger was born in Coleridge, Nebraska, the youngest of the six children of David and Regina Dendinger. Raised on a farm, he was a member of the first graduating class of Mount Michael High School in Elkhorn in 1957. Dendinger then studied at the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Conception, Missouri, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1961.

He furthered his studies at the Aquinas Institute in Dubuque, Iowa, earning his Master of Arts in theology in 1964. Dendinger was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1965, for the Archdiocese of Omaha.

He then taught at Petersburg and Elgin Catholic high schools until 1970, and obtained his Master of Science in counseling from Creighton University in 1969. Subsequently entering the military as a chaplain, Dendinger served as a base and cadet wing chaplain, member of the chaplain resource board for the United States Air Force Chaplain Institute, plans and programs officer in the Office of the Air Force Chief of Chaplain Service, and then Chief of the Air Force Chaplain Service for over the next thirty-one years. He retired in 2001 as a two-star general, and then served as pastor of St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Omaha until 2004.

Bishop Dendinger in 2007

On October 14, 2004, Dendinger was appointed Bishop of Grand Island by Pope John Paul II. He received episcopal consecration on the following December 13 from Archbishop Elden Curtiss, with Bishops Fabian Bruskewitz and Lawrence McNamara serving as co-consecrators. As Bishop of Grand Island, Dendinger acted as a suffragan bishop under the Archbishop of Omaha, George Joseph Lucas as of January 2015.

Bishop Dendinger's resignation for age reasons was accepted by Pope Francis on Wednesday, January 14, 2015, after more than 10 years as leader of the Diocese. The same day, his successor, Joseph G. Hanefeldt was announced.

Awards and military decorations
Badge Air Force Christian Chaplain Badge
1st Row Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
2nd Row Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
3rd Row Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Short
4th Row Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long with oak leaf cluster Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters Air Force Training Ribbon

See also

References
  1. "CHAPLAIN (MAJ. GEN.) WILLIAM J. DENDINGER > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. United States: United States Air Force. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
  2. "Bishop William Joseph Dendinger [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Archived from the original on 2018-08-06. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
  3. "Photochart of USAF Leadership (as of Sept. 1, 1997)" (PDF). media.defense.gov. United States: United States Department of Defense.

Episcopal succession
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Lawrence James McNamara		 Bishop of Grand Island
2004–2015		 Succeeded by
Joseph G. Hanefeldt
Preceded by
Arthur S. Thomas		 Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force
1995–1997		 Succeeded by
Lorraine K. Potter
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