February 4, 2003

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
Bud Bunce (503) 233-8373
bbunce@archdpdx.org

Bishop Steiner celebrates 25th anniversary as Portland's Auxiliary Bishop

        Bishop Kenneth D. Steiner, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Portland, will
celebrate his 25th anniversary as a Bishop on March 2, 2003. He will celebrate Mass at
St. Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m.,
with a reception following.

        Bishop Steiner was born in David City, Nebraska on November 25, 1936. He is
one of five children of Lawrence N. and Florine M. Steiner. His education included
attendance at St. Rose of Lima School, Portland, Mount Angel High School Seminary
(1954), Mount Angel College Seminary (1958), and completed his theological studies at
St. Thomas Seminary (1962) in Kenmore, WA. He was ordained a priest on May 19,
1962 by the Most Reverend Edward D. Howard at St. Mary's Cathedral in Portland.

        Father Kenneth Steiner served as an associate pastor at St. Monica Parish in
Coos Bay (1962-1967), St. Mary's Cathedral in Portland (1967-1970), and at St.
Stephen Parish in Portland (1970-1972). He served as Pastor at Holy Name Parish in
Coquille with missions in Myrtle Point and Powers (1972-1976), and served at St.
Francis of Assisi Parish in Roy (1976-1978), and at the same time he served as the
administrator of St. Mary Parish in Vernonia. He was elected Chairman of the Priests'
Personnel Committee in 1976.

        He started two special ministries while working in Portland. In 1968 Father
Steiner started a citywide pre-marriage program at St. Vincent and Providence
Hospitals, and in 1972 he began a group for divorced and separated Catholics in
Portland.

        He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Portland in Oregon, and named Titular
Bishop of Avensa, on December 6, 1977. He was ordained a Bishop at a Mass held at
Portland's Civic Auditorium. Archbishop Cornelius M. Power, Archbishop of Portland,
was the principal ordaining prelate.

        Bishop Steiner served as Vicar of Clergy and Clergy Personnel Director from
1978 – 1980, and served as Vicar for Worship and Ministry 1979 – 1981. Beginning in
1986 he served as the Chairman of the Priests' Retirement Facility Committee. The
work of this committee resulted in the construction of the St. John Vianney Retirement
Center in 1993.

        Bishop Steiner returned to parish ministry in 1986 when he was appointed
Administrator of St. Mary Parish in Corvallis. He was named Pastor of that same parish
in 1987, and remained as Pastor at St. Mary's until July 2000. He moved to Milwaukie to
become Pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish in July 2000, and served there until 2002.
In July 2002, Bishop Steiner was appointed Vicar of Senior and Infirm Priests, and was
assigned to serve as Pastor at St. Edward Parish in North Plains.

        Bishop Steiner was elected the Administrator of the Archdiocese for the interim
period (October 1995 – May 1996) when Archbishop William J. Levada was transferred
to the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He was elected Administrator again for the
interim (May 1997 – December 1997) when Archbishop Francis E. George was
transferred to the Archdiocese of Chicago.

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