Diocesan Priest Named Next Bishop of Biloxi
By Rob Boscamp
Rev. Msgr. Louis F. Kihneman III didn’t expect an early birthday gift from the Vatican. In early December, the vicar general and moderator of the curia was getting ready to plan his November 2017 celebration of 40 years of priesthood in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. A phone call from Archbishop Christophe Pierre changed his plans. “When I heard the accent and he introduced himself as Archbishop Pierre, I said, ‘Oh my! He knows my name!’ ” Kihneman said, recalling the way he told the story to his congregation at St. Philip the Apostle Parish. Pierre presented Kihneman with both an early birthday and Christmas present: Pope Francis had named him to serve as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi in Mississippi. “I went, ‘Oh! That’s a big oh my! The Holy Father now knows my name!’” The announcement was made by Vatican officials during a Dec. 16 news conference, at 5 a.m. central time. “At 5:01 (a.m.), as the youth say, my phone ‘blew up’ with texts, emails and phone calls.” Kihneman will be ordained and installed as bishop on Feb. 17 — his 65th birthday — in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Biloxi. He will succeed The Most Reverend Roger P. Morin, DD, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in March. Kihneman received hundreds of letters from bishops, parishioners and others from across the state, congratulating him on the selection. “It took me 3 or 4 days to catch up with everybody’s texts and the outpouring of love, support, congratulations,” he said. “It’s been quite a ride (since the announcement).” The call from Pierre did have a bittersweet pause, he said. The momentary silence allowed Kihneman to take in the good news, as well as reflect on his roughly four decades of ministry around the Coastal Bend. “It’s bittersweet, really, leaving the diocese,” he said. “I have, as a priest, 39 years of friends, 39 years of people I’ve served here. It’s hard to leave. But the Lord calls, and I’m trusting in God’s hands in this and receive … the grace of God to be able to serve in this way as a church.” God also called him to a place he recalls fondly. Kihnemann visited the Biloxi area several times as a boy for summer camp. “It’s like going back home.” Still, Corpus Christi has been his home for decades. In 1963, Kihneman’s family moved to Corpus Christi, where he was confirmed at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish. He attended Corpus Christi Minor Seminary from 1966 to 1972. He also attended Del Mar College from 1970 to 1972. After completing his studies at the University of St. Thomas School of Theology and St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, Kihneman was ordained to the priesthood on Nov. 18, 1977, at Corpus Christi Cathedral by then-Corpus Christi Bishop Thomas J. Drury. His first assignment called him to San Isidro Labrador Parish in Artega, Mexico. He used the time to build up his Spanish-speaking skills. His first experiences as a priest, such as confessions, weddings and other sacraments, were performed in Spanish. “In the end, it was a blessing,” said Kihneman, who spent eight months ministering to people in 52 ranchos and two fairly large towns. “It really changed the way I approach priesthood completely … That’s kind of been the lenses with which I look at everything.” He served in various parishes of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, most recently as pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Parish since 2014. Gloria Scott and her family knew Kihneman during most of the 18 years he served as pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Rockport. “It’s an accomplishment that he deserves,” said Scott, the church’s secretary and director of religious education. From 1993 to 2011, Kihneman ministered to as many as 1,300 families within the church, she said. “He made it a point to get to know our parishioners here,” Scott said. After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Kihneman was instrumental in helping parishioners, youth and the congregation through the healing process. He also prioritized giving and supporting the parish’s ministries and school. He helped begin its Capital Building Campaign, which is now in phase 3. The parish’s Sacred Heart School also grew with building add-ons while he was pastor. “His family was very supportive of Sacred Heart School,” Scott said, “and they loved giving and supporting our school.” Kihneman also was a recipient of the National Catholic Education Association’s Distinguished Pastor Award in 2011. He also gave back to the community. Sister Rose Paul Madassery recalled several years’ worth of him serving tacos and remembering names of the homeless, whom he met weekly at Mother Teresa Shelter, Inc. “He is a blessing to the staff,” said Madassery, the shelter's operations supervisor. “We are very thankful for that.” REV. MSGR. LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Offices Diocesan Director of Religious Education (1978-1983) Director of Vocations (1986-1993) Director of Seminarians (1986-1993) Director of Ministry to Priests (1986-1993) Director of St. John Vianney House of Studies and Christian Leadership Vocations Program (1986-1993) Associate Vicar for Clergy (1988-1995) Tribunal Advocate (1983-1987) Chancellor (2013-2014) Vicar General (2010-present) Assignments Parochial Vicar San Isidro Labrador Parish, Artega, Mexico (1977) St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Robstown (1978-80) Christ the King Parish (1980-81) Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish (1981-83) Pastor Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Alice (1983-86) Sacred Heart Parishm, Rockport (1993-2011) St. Philip the Apostle Parish (2014-present) Education St. Mary’s Seminary at the University of St. Thomas, Houston: Liberal Arts degree (1974; summa cum laude), Masters of Religious Education (1976), Masters of the Arts in Theology (1977) Bishop Michael Mulvey's statement Bishop Michael Mulvey issued this statement after the announcement of the selection of Msgr. Louis F. Kihneman for the next bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi. “Msgr. Kihneman has been a faithful priest of the Diocese of Corpus Christi for almost 40 years. He has served this diocese in many capacities and has done so with commitment and zeal. "… Msgr. Kihneman has been a loyal advisor, a conscientious servant and a friend. He and I have worked closely together and now share a special bond as brother bishops. I will greatly miss his advice and guidance. He will also be missed by his brother priests and the people of this diocese.” CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF BILOXI Established: March 1, 1977 Counties (in Mississippi) encompassed: 17 Catholics in ecclesiastical province of Mobile: 57,897 Bishops since establishment (not including Kihneman): 3 Diocesan priests: 56 Religious priests: 18 Parishes: 43 Missions: 8 Seminarians: 6 High Schools (Diocesan and Parish): 4 Total students: 1,223 Elementary schools (Diocesan and Parish): 10 Total students: 2,352 Source: Catholic Diocese of Biloxi IDEA FOR A SNAPSHOT? Some things stand out. It might be the way a Coastal Bend resident faces life with an inspiring attitude, or the impact of one of South Texas’ more than 1,400 nonprofits on folks it serves. Some things are worth a closer look to inspire us all. Whether a person, place or thing, this weekly series — South Texas Snapshot — is dedicated to shining a light on timely endeavors and humanitarian events in our backyard. Have a story idea? 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