BishopAccountability.org
 
 

Former Vt. Catholic Bishop Dies

By Roger Garrity
WCAX
October 6, 2016

http://www.wcax.com/story/33323163/former-vt-catholic-bishop-dies

[with video]

It's the end of an era for Vermont's Catholics. Former Bishop Kenneth Angell has died. He passed away Tuesday at a nursing home in Winooski after suffering a stroke last week. He was 86.

Angell was the leader of Vermont's Catholic diocese for 13 years. His tenure saw the church begin to deal with priest sex abuse cases. And Bishop Angell endured personal tragedy when his brother, an Emmy-winning TV producer, died in the 9/11 terror attacks. But Angell maintained his warm and friendly demeanor.

"So whether he was visiting a grade school or visiting a nursing home or going to a prison to say mass, I think everybody who met him would have said they met somebody who was very, very kind and kindness goes a long way," said Monsignor John McDermott of the Catholic Diocese of Burlington.

Bishop Angell was from Rhode Island, but he loved Vermont and stayed here after his retirement. The diocese says his health had only recently been in decline, leading to his stroke.

Angell was 62 years old when he was named the eighth Bishop of the Burlington Catholic Diocese in November 1992. Almost immediately thereafter, the leader of Vermont's largest religious denomination was faced with crisis. Accusers came forward alleging physical, sexual and mental abuse going back to the 1940s at the church-run St. Joseph's Orphanage. While dozens of the cases were settled, the scandal prompted Angell to create a review board to investigate allegations of abuse in the church.

"I pray this will signal new beginnings for this church in Vermont as we struggle to reconcile with those in grievance with us for past accusations of abuse," he said at the time.

Expectedly, Angell adhered staunchly to many of the Catholic Church's prime tenets. He opposed abortion and the death penalty, even launching a letter-writing campaign on behalf of a convicted murderer, Vermont native Bobby Drew, who was sentenced to die via lethal injection in Texas.

Angell also worked tirelessly to spread his faith, whether it was holding a Christmas mass in prison or supporting new Catholic schools in Vermont.

In 1999, Bishop Angell celebrated his silver jubilee in Burlington-- 25 years in the position of bishop, in both Burlington and the Providence, Rhode Island, diocese.

But for bishops, spiritual matters often overlap with political matters. And as Vermont wrestled with the decision to legally recognize gay partnerships, Angell lashed out against the idea in a letter he wrote to lawmakers.

"The sacredness of marriage is in jeopardy and we are called upon to defend it," he said.

Bishop Angell also helped guide the diocese through the Catholic Church's darkest days when the pedophile priest scandal rocked the church in 2002. Though many accusations were centered in the Boston diocese, Vermont was not immune.

Kenneth Angell was the backbone of Vermont's Catholic Church and its members. A comforting voice that guided the Green Mountain State's Catholics through times both trying and festive, like the 150th birthday of the diocese in 2003.

Angell stepped down from his post in 2005 when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75. As then, he departs now with the love and devotion of his flock.

Calling hours are Monday, Oct. 10, from 3-7 p.m., and Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Burlington. A funeral mass will be held at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. Burial will take place in the Angell family plot at St. Anne Cemetery in Cranston, Rhode Island, at a later date.

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.