William Joseph Dendinger

The Most Reverend William Joseph Dendinger
Bishop Emeritus of Grand Island
Dendinger as the 13th Chief of Air Force Chaplains
Diocese	Grand Island
Installed	December 13, 2004
Term ended	January 14, 2015
Predecessor	Lawrence James McNamara
Successor	Joseph G. Hanefeldt
Orders
Ordination	May 29, 1965
Personal details
Born	(1939-05-20) May 20, 1939 Coleridge, Nebraska

William Joseph Dendinger (born May 20, 1939) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. 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.

Biography

Styles of William Dendinger

Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop
Posthumous style	not applicable

William Dendinger was born in Coleridge, Nebraska, as 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, whence he obtained 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.

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

References

External links

Bio at Diocese of Grand Island

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

Archdiocese of Omaha

Ordinaries	Bishops James O'Connor Richard Scannell Jeremiah James Harty Joseph Francis Rummel Archbishops James Hugh Ryan Gerald Thomas Bergan Daniel E. Sheehan Elden Francis Curtiss George Joseph Lucas

Auxiliary Bishops	Daniel E. Sheehan Anthony Michael Milone

Churches	Cathedral St. Cecilia Cathedral Parishes St. Anthony's Church, Cedar Rapids St. Leonard Church, Madison Holy Family Church, Omaha Immaculate Conception Church, Omaha Sacred Heart Church, Omaha St. Frances Cabrini Church, Omaha St. John's Church, Omaha St. Joseph Church, Omaha St. Bonaventure Church, Raeville

Education	Higher Education Creighton University College of Saint Mary High Schools Archbishop Bergan High School, Fremont Cedar Catholic High School, Hartington Central Catholic High School, West Point Creighton Preparatory School, Omaha Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School, Bellevue Duchesne Academy, Omaha Holy Family High School, Lindsay Marian High School, Omaha Mercy High School, Omaha Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey and High School, Omaha Norfolk Catholic High School, Norfolk Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School, Elgin Roncalli Catholic High School, Omaha St. Francis High School, Humphrey St. Mary's High School, O'Neill St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Omaha Scotus Central Catholic High School, Columbus V. J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School, Omaha

Priests	Blase J. Cupich William Joseph Dendinger Edward J. Flanagan Joseph G. Hanefeldt Edward Joseph Hunkeler Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern John Linus Paschang

Other	Boys Town Notre Dame Academy and Convent

Catholicism portal

Diocese of Grand Island

Bishops	James Albert Duffy Stanislaus Vincent Bona Edward Joseph Hunkeler John Linus Paschang John Joseph Sullivan Lawrence James McNamara William Joseph Dendinger Joseph G. Hanefeldt

Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parishes St. Anselm's Church, Anselmo Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, O'Connor St. Michael's Church, Spalding

Education	High Schools Central Catholic High School, Grand Island Kearney Catholic High School, Kearney St. Patrick High School, North Platte Spalding Academy, Spalding

Catholicism portal

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