Bishop Richard J. Sklba, 1979-2024
Bishop Richard J. Sklba was born in Racine, Wisconsin, on September 11, 1935, and was baptized at Holy Trinity Parish on September 30, 1935, the feast of Saint Jerome who is the patron saint of Scripture students.
After attending a public elementary school on the outskirts of the city of his birth, he spent two years at Saint Catherine’s High School, Racine, before transferring to Saint Francis Minor Seminary, Milwaukee, to finish high school and begin college studies.
From 1954 to 1960, he studied at the Gregorian University, Rome, completing an undergraduate degree in philosophy and a graduate degree in theology. He was ordained to the priesthood in Rome for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1959. He was assigned to Saint Mary’s Parish, Elm Grove, in 1960 and served the parish as an assistant pastor for two years.
In 1962, he returned to Rome for three more years of study. While there, he attended the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, and completed the equivalent of an advanced master’s degree in sacred Scripture. He completed the equivalent of a doctoral degree in biblical studies at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas of Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome. He was privileged enough to be present in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome, for the opening session of the Second Vatican Council on October 11, 1962.
After returning to the United States, he spent the next 11 years teaching Scripture at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, Milwaukee, and served at Saint Veronica’s Parish, Milwaukee on weekends. In 1976, he was appointed rector of the seminary by Archbishop Cousins.
When ordained as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Weakland on December 19, 1979, Bishop Sklba became one of America’s youngest bishops.
For the past 30 years, Bishop Sklba has served on various committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops including Priestly Life and Ministry, Doctrine, Liturgy, Permanent Diaconate, as well as Marriage and Family. He was appointed to several task forces including the Teaching Function of the Diocesan Bishop and the sub-committee for Inclusive Language. He chaired the sub-committee on the Review of Scripture Translations from 1991 to 2001.
Bishop Sklba served as chair of the USCCB’s Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs from 2005-2008. In that capacity, he had the privilege of introducing the nation’s religious leaders from several traditions including Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Jain to Pope Benedict XVI during the Holy Father’s historic pastoral visit to the United States in April of 2008.
He has been a member of the Catholic Biblical Association of America since 1968 and served as its president in 1982. Over the years, he also participated in several archaeological expeditions to sites in Israel.
Active in the church’s ecumenical and interreligious relationships on a national and local level, Bishop Sklba has co-chaired the national Lutheran/Catholic Dialogue since 1998. In February of 2006, Bishop Sklba was invited to attend the ninth General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, as a member of the official Vatican delegation headed by Cardinal Walter Kasper. He has been an invited ecumenical guest at many national meetings of the country’s mainline Protestant Churches. He has also participated in countless meetings and projects with Jewish scholars of the country in an effort to promote interreligious understanding and cooperation.
His many professional memberships include the Catholic Theological Society of America and the Society for Biblical Literature. Bishop Sklba has also published articles, books, papers and occasional book reviews. In 1988, he was awarded the Catholic Theological Society of America’s John Courtney Murray Award for achievement in Theology.
Bishop Sklba was elected archdiocesan administrator by the College of Consultors in May of 2002, and served in that capacity until the Most Reverend Timothy Dolan was installed as Archbishop of Milwaukee on August 28, 2002. Bishop Sklba continued to serve as the Archdiocese of Milwaukee as an auxiliary bishop and general vicar under Archbishops Dolan and Listecki. He also taught Scripture at Sacred Heart School of Theology, Hales Corners, from 2006 through 2009.
On September 11, 2010, the occasion of his 75th birthday, Bishop Sklba, as required by canon law, submitted his resignation. On October 18, 2010, the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Bishop Sklba's resignation.
Bishop Sklba served the archdiocese as a "retired" bishop assisting in providing weekend help at parishes and presiding at confirmations.
He died Nov. 21, 2024, in his sleep. He is buried at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
Bishop Donald J. Hying, 2011-2015 
Bishop Donald J. Hying was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 20, 1989. His first priestly assignment was as a parochial vicar for St. Anthony Parish, Menomonee Falls, from 1989 to 1994. Fr. Hying served as a Team Member for La Sagrada Familia Parroquia in the Dominican Republic from 1994 to 1997. He returned to the United States and served as the parochial administrator of St. Peter Parish (1998), then as the parochial vicar of St. Anthony Parish, Milwaukee, from 1998 to 1999. He was then appointed the pastor of Our Lady of Good Hope Parish, Milwaukee from 1999 to 2005. In 2006, Fr. Hying served as the parochial administrator of St. Augustine Parish, Milwaukee. He served as the Dean of Formation at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary from 2005 to 2007, and was appointed the rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary by Most Reverend Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of Milwaukee, and served in that capacity from 2007 until 2011.
On May 26, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Donald Hying the Titular Bishop of Regiae and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He was consecrated a bishop on July 20, 2011 by Most Reverend Jerome Edward Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee.
On November 24, 2014, His Holiness, Pope Francis, appointed Bishop Hying as the Fourth Bishop of Gary (Indiana). Bishop Hying's installation in the Diocese of Gary took place on January 6, 2015. On April 25, 2019, His Holiness, Pope Francis, appointed Most Reverend Donald J. Hying the Fifth Bishop of Madison (Wisconsin). Bishop Hying’s installation in the Diocese of Madison took place on June 25, 2019.
The youngest of six sons, Bishop Donald J. Hying was born in West Allis, Wisconsin, to parents Albert and Catherine Hying (now deceased) on August 18, 1963. He attended St. Aloysius and Immaculate Heart of Mary grade schools, and Brookfield Central High School. Bishop Hying received his bachelor's degree from Marquette University and his master's degree from St. Francis Seminary.
Bishop Hying is a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities; the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, & Youth; and the Committee on Catholic Education. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Catholic Relief Services and Relevant Radio and is the Chair of the Board for the Institute on Religious Life as well as the St. Paul Evangelization Society.
Bishop William Patrick Callahan, 2007-2010
Most Reverend William Patrick Callahan, OFM. Conv., born June 17, 1950, is a Conventual Franciscan* of the St. Bonaventure Province in Chicago. A Chicago native, he attended St. Mary Minor Seminary in Crystal Lake, Ill., and studied at Junior College, Chicago, before being accepted in the Novitiate of St. Bonaventure at Lake Forest, Ill., where he continued his formation from 1969 to 1970. From 1970 to 1973, he studied at Loyola University, Chicago, earning a bachelor's degree in Radio and Television Communications. He earned his master's of divinity degree from St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto in 1976.
Bishop Callahan was ordained to the priesthood on April 30, 1977, by Milwaukee Archbishop William E. Cousins. His first priestly assignment was as associate pastor of the Basilica of St. Josaphat Parish, Milwaukee, from 1977 to 1978. Bishop Callahan then served as the director of vocations for the Conventual Franciscans from 1978 to 1984; as associate pastor of Holy Family Parish, Peoria, Ill., from 1984 to 1987; and as pastor of Holy Family Parish, Peoria, from 1987-1994.
In 1994, Bishop Callahan returned to Milwaukee and the St. Josaphat congregation. He served as rector and pastor of St. Josaphat Parish until 2005. At that time, he left the parish and went to serve as spiritual director for the Pontifical North American College, the seminary for Americans, Rome, until December 14, 2007.
After Rome, Pope Benedict XVI named Callahan an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on October 30, 2007. He was the first Conventual Franciscan to be named a bishop in the United States. As an auxiliary bishop, Bishop Callahan served the Church by helping the diocesan bishop in the pastoral and spiritual leadership of a diocese, and by assisting the diocesan bishop in his role as shepherd – through teaching, leading, serving and celebrating the sacraments with the people of the diocese.
On April 20, 2009, the College of Consultors elected him to serve as the administrator of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He served as the administrator until Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki was installed as archbishop of Milwaukee on January 4, 2010.
On June 11, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI named him bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. He was installed as the tenth bishop of La Crosse on August 11, 2010.
The youngest of four children, Callahan has two older sisters and one older brother. His parents, Ellen and William Callahan, are deceased.
*The religious order of Conventuals are members of the world wide Franciscan Order, who were granted approval from the Church in 1209.
Bishop Leo Joseph Brust, 1969-1991
Bishop Brust was born January 7, 1916 in St. Francis, Wisconsin. He was the youngest of five children. He attended St. Stephen School in New Coeln (by the airport) and studied at St. Francis Seminary and Canisianum in Austria. His studies in Europe were disrupted by World War II and he was transferred to Catholic University of America to finish his studies. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee May 30, 1942 at St. Anne Church in Milwaukee
Bishop Brust was assigned to St. Jude in Wauwatosa in 1942, and in 1944 was named Vice Chancellor. In 1948 was appointed Chancellor of the Archdiocese, where he served for 21 years.
He was ordained a Bishop October 16, 1969 in Mater Christi Chapel of De Sales Preparatory Seminary and named Vicar General of the Archdiocese. He was also appointed pastor of Christ the King in Wauwatosa. In addition to his duties as Bishop, he also served as Vicar of Finance, Vicar for Parish Affairs, and Episcopal Delegate for the Departments of Finance, Administration and Clergy Personnel. He retired in 1991 but continued to reside at the Cousins Center and participate in Archdiocesan activities. He died January 31, 1995 after battling a number of health problems.
Bishop Roman R. Atkielski, 1947-1969
Bishop Atkielski was born the ninth of twelve children on August 5, 1898 in Milwaukee. He attended St. Casimir and St. Mary Czestochowa schools in Milwaukee and later attended the Jesuit Prairie du Chien Campion Academy and Marquette University. He did not enter Seminary directly, but instead worked for nine years to help support his family after his three older brothers left for World War I.
In 1927, he entered St. Francis Seminary and was ordained in 1931 at St. John Cathedral. He worked first as Assistant Pastor of St. Stanislaus and St. Mary Czestochowa in Milwaukee, before serving the diocese as secretary to Archbishop Stritch, Chancellor of the Diocese and Diocesan Consulter. He was appointed by the Pope as a Papal Chamberlain in 1938 and was made a Domestic Prelate in 1944.
He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee on August 2, 1947 and served the diocese for 22 years. In addition to his duties as Auxiliary, he was also appointed pastor of St. Sebastian in Milwaukee and Christ King in Wauwatosa. He died June 30, 1969 after collapsing in the rectory of Christ King Parish. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Bishop Edward Kozlowski, 1913-1915
Bishop Kozlowski was born November 21, 1860 in Tarnow in the Austrian region Poland. He studied at the Tarnow Preparatory College and began his studies for the priesthood in 1885 at St. Francis Seminary.
He was first ordained a priest for Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1887, and in 1913 was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee under Archbishop Messmer. He was also assigned to the large Polish parish, St. Stanislaus. He died August 1, 1915 of blood poisoning and is buried in Milwaukee.
Bishop Joseph Maria Koudelka, 1911-1913
Bishop Koudelka was born December 8, 1852 in Clistovo, Bohemia. At age 16 he immigrated with his parents to Reedsville, WI. He attended Mount Calvary, before studying philosophy and theology at St. Francis Seminary. In part because of his knowledge of languages, he occasionally filled in as a substitute teacher at the seminary. He spoke English, German, French, Polish, Slovak, Bohemian, Slovenian, Russian and Magyar. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland in 1875. During his time in Cleveland, he worked with Bohemian and German immigrants.
In 1908, he was named auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland, and on September 4, 1911, he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Messmer for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. In addition to his duties as bishop he was appointed pastor of St. Peter and Paul Parish in Milwaukee. He was later named Bishop of the Superior Diocese in 1913. He died June 24, 1921 and is buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Cleveland near his parents.
Bishop Koudelka was known for working beyond the borders of his diocese and worked with over a hundred missions for Bohemian Catholics in different areas of the country.