William Edward Koenig (born August 17, 1956) is an American prelate of the
Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as the tenth bishop of the
Diocese of Wilmington
The Diocese of Wilmington ( la, Dioecesis Wilmingtoniensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the eastern United States and comprises the entire state of Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland (i.e ...
in Delaware since 2021.
Biography
Early life
William Koenig was born on August 17, 1955, in
Queens, New York. Koenig grew up in
East Meadow, New York, attending St. Raphael’s Elementary School.
He later attended
St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, New York,
Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception
Cathedral Seminary House of Formation is a Roman Catholic seminary college in the Douglaston, Queens section of New York City. It was founded in 1914 as a minor seminary for the Diocese of Brooklyn, eventually growing to two New York City campu ...
in Douglaston, New York and the
Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York.
Priesthood
On May 14, 1983, Koenig was ordained to the priesthood for the
Diocese of Rockville Centre by Bishop
John R. McGann
John Raymond McGann (December 2, 1924 – January 29, 2002) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, in New York from 1976 to 2000. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the s ...
at
St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York.
After being ordained, Koenig obtained a
Master of Social Work degree from
Fordham University
Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...
in New York City At the same time, he served as a pastor in St. Edward the Confessor Parish in
Syosset, New York
Syosset (also known as Little East Woods or Locust Grove) is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Oyster Bay, in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 19,259 at the 202 ...
. In 2008, Koenig was assigned for one year to St. James Parish in
Setauket, New York. During his time in Setauket, Koenig also worked in the Campus Ministry Program at
State University at Stony Brook in Stony Brook, New York.
In 1989, Koenig became diocesan director of vocations at the cathedral residence of the Immaculate Conception in
Douglaston, New York, helping in the formation of
seminarians. In 1990, he also became diocesan director of ministry to priests.
In 2000, Koenig was named as
parochial vicar at St. Agnes Cathedral Parish and pastor of St. William the Abbot Parish in
Seaford, New York, serving there until 2009. In 2007, he was named
chaplain to his holiness by
Pope Benedict XVI.
In 2009, Koenig became rector of St. Agnes Cathedral and in 2020 vicar for clergy for the diocese.
Bishop of Wilmington
On April 30, 2021,
Pope Francis appointed Koenig bishop for the Diocese of Wilmington.
Koenig was consecrated by Archbishop
William Lori on July 13, 2021, at the Church of St. Elizabeth, in his new diocese. He was asked in 2021 if he would give communion to President
Joe Biden even though Biden supports
abortion rights for women and
same-sex marriage. Koenig said that he would willingly discuss Catholic teaching with him.
See also
*
Catholic Church hierarchy
*
Catholic Church in the United States
*
Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
*
List of Catholic bishops of the United States
*
Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
References
External links
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington Official SiteRoman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre Official Site
Episcopal succession
1956 births
Living people
People from Queens, New York
American Roman Catholic priests
Bishops appointed by Pope Francis
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