Leo Binz

InstalledApril 28, 1962

Term endedMay 28, 1975

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Leo Binz
Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis

See	St. Paul and Minneapolis
Installed	April 28, 1962
Term ended	May 28, 1975
Predecessor	William O. Brady
Successor	John Roach
Other posts	Coadjutor Bishop of Winona (1942–49) Coadjutor Archbishop of Dubuque (1949–54) Archbishop of Dubuque (1954–61)
Orders
Ordination	March 15, 1924 by Giuseppe Palica
Consecration	December 21, 1942 by Amleto Cicognani
Personal details
Born	(1900-10-31)October 31, 1900 Stockton, Illinois, US
Died	October 2, 1979(1979-10-02) (aged 78) Maywood, Illinois, US
Motto	Christo vivere (To live for Christ)

Ordination history of
Leo Binz

History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated by	Amleto Giovanni Cicognani
Date	December 21, 1942

Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Leo Binz as principal consecrator
Loras Thomas Lane	May 29, 1951
James Edward Michaels	April 14, 1966

Leo Binz (October 31, 1900 – October 9, 1979) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Dubuque (1954–1961) and as Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1962–1975). A native of Illinois, he became a priest in 1924 and a bishop in 1942.

Leo Binz was born on October 31, 1900, in Stockton, Illinois, the third child of Michael and Thecla (née Reible) Binz.^[1] The family lived on a small farm near the Mississippi River, east of Dubuque, Iowa.^[2] Following his confirmation, a young Binz declared to Bishop Peter Muldoon, "I'm going to be a bishop!"^[2]

In 1914, Binz enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque, where he began his preparatory studies for the priesthood.^[1] He transferred to St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1918. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (1919) and a Master of Arts degree (1920) from St. Mary's.^[2]

From 1920 to 1921, Binz studied at the Sulpician Seminary in Washington, D.C.^[1] He was then sent to continue his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.^[1] He received a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from the Propaganda University (1924) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University (1926).^[1]

Priesthood

On March 15, 1924, Binz was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome by Archbishop Giuseppe Palica.^[3] From 1924 to 1926, while pursuing his doctoral studies in Rome, he taught at the North American College.^[1]

After returning to Illinois, the diocese assigned Binz as a curate at St. Mary's Parish in Sterling.^[2] Bishop Edward Francis Hoban appointed him as his secretary in 1928, and as chancellor of the diocese In 1932.^[1] Binz was reassigned in 1932, serving as pastor in parishes in Cherry Valley, Rockford, and Belvidere, Illinois.^[1]

The Vatican elevated Binz to the rank of papal chamberlain in 1934 and domestic prelate in 1939.^[1] From 1936 to 1942, he served in Washington D.C. as secretary to Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, the apostolic delegate to the United States.^[1] While working for Cicognani, Binz was sent to Dubuque to investigate the financial mismanagement of the Archdiocese of Dubuque by Archbishop Francis Beckman.^[4]

Episcopacy

Bishop of Winona

On November 21, 1942, Binz was appointed titular bishop of Pinara and coadjutor bishop of Winona by Pope Pius XII.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration on December 21, 1942, from Cicognani, with Bishops Henry Rohlman and Edward Hoban serving as co-consecrators, at St. James Pro-Cathedral in Rockford.^[3] As coadjutor bishop, he administered the diocese, as Bishop Francis Martin Kelly was in poor health.^[5] Binz established Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, centralized all the offices of the diocese, and started the plans for building the first cathedral in Winona.^[5]

Archbishop of Dubuque

On October 15, 1949, Pius XII named Binz as titular archbishop of Silyum and coadjutor archbishop of Dubuque.^[3] In 1952, Binze established the Sisters of the Visitation of Dubuque in the archdiocese.^[4] Upon the resignation of Archbishop Henry Rohlman, Binz succeeded him as the sixth archbishop of Dubuque on December 2, 1954.^[3]

During his seven years as archbishop, Binz helped develop Catholic high schools in the archdiocese. Nationally, he served as president of the National Catholic Educational Association in Leesburg, Virginia, from 1954 to 1955, and headed the youth department of the National Catholic Welfare Council.^[1] He also established the North American Martyrs Retreat House in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and expanded the archdiocesan chapter of Catholic Charities. Binz created the Rural Life Committee to assist small parishes outside the urban areas.^[4]

Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis-Saint Paul

On December 16, 1961 Pope John XXIII named Binz as the fifth archbishop of Saint Paul. He was installed in St. Paul, Minnesota, on April 28, 1962.

From 1962 to 1965 Binz attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome, and faithfully implemented the reforms promulgated by the council in the archdiocese. He was known for his pastoral approach to leadership. He promoted active lay participation and Christian renewal in the archdiocese through fraternal societies. He strengthened the local chapter or Catholic Charities, and he continued the annual May Day rosary processions.^[6]

Binz was named to the Pontifical Commission on Birth Control and was one of only seven members of the 72 member commission to vote that artificial birth control was intrinsically evil.^[7]

On July 11, 1966, Pope Paul VI renamed the Archdiocese of Saint Paul to the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-Saint Paul to reflect the equal stature of the two cities. The pope designated the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis as co-cathedral of the archdiocese. Binz became the first archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.^[8]

As his health began to decline, Binz requested and received a coadjutor. Paul VI named Bishop Leo Christopher Byrne as coadjutor archbishop of Minneapolis-Saint Paul on July 31, 1967. Binz allowed Byrne to take greater control of the administration of the archdiocese. Byrne, however, died on October 21, 1974.^[9]

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
Bishops	Ordinaries Peter Muldoon Edward Francis Hoban John Joseph Boylan Raymond Peter Hillinger Donald Martin Carroll (*) Loras Thomas Lane Arthur Joseph O'Neill Thomas G. Doran David John Malloy
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Peter Parishes St. Mary's Church, Gilberts St. Michael's Church, Galena Abbey Marmion Abbey
Education	High schools Aquin Catholic Schools (Junior-Senior High Campus), Freeport Aurora Central Catholic High School, Aurora Boylan Catholic High School, Rockford Marian Central Catholic High School, Woodstock Marmion Academy, Aurora Newman Central Catholic High School, Sterling Rosary High School, Aurora St. Edward Central Catholic High School, Elgin Elementary school St. Thomas More School, Elgin
Priests	Leo Binz David Kagan
(*) resigned before his consecration as bishop Catholic Church portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Bishops	Ordinaries Joseph Bernard Cotter Patrick Richard Heffron Francis Martin Kelly Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald Loras Joseph Watters John George Vlazny Bernard Joseph Harrington John M. Quinn Robert Barron Auxiliaries Leo Binz George Henry Speltz
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona St. John the Evangelist, Rochester Parishes Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Winona Church of St. Augustine, Austin Church of St. Adrian, Adrian Church of the Sacred Heart, Heron Lake Church of the Holy Trinity, Rollingstone Church of St. Kilian, Wilmont Township
Education	Higher education Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary Saint Mary's University of Minnesota High schools Cotter High School, Winona Lourdes High School, Rochester Loyola Catholic School, Mankato Pacelli High School, Austin Other Austin Area Catholic Schools
Priests	Paul Breza Robert Brom Jan Romuald Byzewski Jozef Cieminski Frederick William Freking Michael Joseph Hoeppner Antoni Klawiter Jakub W.J. Pacholski John Hubert Peschges
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
Ordinaries	Bishops Mathias Loras Clement Smyth Archbishops John Hennessy John Keane James Keane Francis Beckman Henry Rohlman Leo Binz James Byrne Daniel Kucera Jerome Hanus Michael Jackels Thomas Robert Zinkula
Auxiliary bishops	Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald Loras Thomas Lane George Biskup Loras Joseph Watters Francis John Dunn William Edwin Franklin
Churches	Cathedral St. Raphael's Cathedral, Dubuque Parishes Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, Dyersville St. John XXIII, Cedar Rapids Holy Ghost, Dubuque Holy Trinity, Luxemburg Sacred Heart, Dubuque Sacred Heart, Fillmore St. Boniface, New Vienna St. Donatus, St. Donatus St. Joseph, Elkader St. Joseph, Key West Saint Joseph the Worker, Dubuque St. Martin, Cascade St. Mary, Guttenberg St. Patrick, Dubuque St. Patrick, Garryowen St. Lawrence, Otter Creek St. Paul, Worthington Saints Peter and Paul, Petersburg Former parishes Saint Joseph's Prairie Church St. Mary, Dubuque St. Joseph, Stone City
Education	Higher education Clarke University Divine Word College Loras College Mount Mercy University St. Pius X Seminary, Dubuque High schools Beckman High School, Dyersville Columbus High School, Waterloo Don Bosco High School, Gilbertville Marquette High School, Bellevue Newman Catholic High School, Mason City Wahlert High School, Dubuque Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids Primary schools Mazzuchelli Middle School, Dubuque Holy Family Catholic Schools, Dubuque St. Mary's School, Guttenberg Former schools Sacred Heart School, Dubuque St. Luke's School, St. Lucas
Religious orders	New Melleray Abbey Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Priests	John George Alleman John Patrick Carroll James Vincent Casey Joseph Crétin Justin Albert Driscoll Thomas William Drumm Raymond Philip Etteldorf Daniel Mary Gorman Edward Howard William Michael Joensen Louis Benedict Kucera Mathias Clement Lenihan Thomas Mathias Lenihan William Menster J. A. M. Pelamourgues Aloysius Schmitt Joseph Clement Willging Thomas Zinkula
Miscellany	Mount Saint Bernard Seminary and Barn Our Mother of Sorrows Grotto Historic District
Catholicism portal

v t e Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph Crétin Thomas Grace Archbishops John Ireland Austin Dowling John Gregory Murray William O. Brady Leo Binz John Roach Harry Joseph Flynn John Clayton Nienstedt Bernard Hebda Coadjutor archbishop Leo Christopher Byrne
Auxiliary bishops	John Jeremiah Lawler James J. Byrne Leonard Philip Cowley Gerald Francis O'Keefe James P. Shannon John Roach Raymond Alphonse Lucker Paul Vincent Dudley John Francis Kinney William Henry Bullock James Richard Ham Robert James Carlson Joseph Charron Lawrence Welsh Frederick F. Campbell Richard Pates Lee A. Piché Andrew H. Cozzens Joseph Andrew Williams Michael Izen Kevin Kenney
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of Saint Paul Basilica of Saint Mary Former cathedrals First Second Third Parishes Church of St. Mark, Saint Paul Church of St. Mary, New Trier Church of St. Stephen, Minneapolis Church of St. Agnes, St. Paul Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul Church of St. Casimir, St. Paul Church of St. Michael, St. Michael Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague Church of the Annunciation, Minneapolis Church of the Annunciation, Webster Township Church of the Assumption, St. Paul Church of the Incarnation, Minneapolis Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wheatland Township Guardian Angels Church, Chaska Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis St. Peter's Church, Mendota St. Columba Church (Saint Paul, Minnesota) St. Mary's Church of the Purification, Marystown Historic Church of St. Hubertus, Chanhassen Chapel Our Lady of Victory Chapel
Education	Higher education St. Catherine University University of St. Thomas Seminaries Saint John Vianney College Seminary Saint Paul Seminary Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary (defunct) High schools Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Bethlehem Academy, Faribault Chesterton Academy, Edina Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis Hill-Murray School, Maplewood Holy Family Catholic High School, Victoria Providence Academy, Plymouth Saint Agnes School, St. Paul Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights Totino-Grace High School, Fridley
Priests	Joseph Francis Busch Peter F. Christensen Alexander Christie Jozef Cieminski James Louis Connolly Timothy J. Corbett Donald DeGrood James Albert Duffy Hilary Baumann Hacker Ambrose Hayden Patrick Richard Heffron Patrick J. Hessian Michael Joncas James Keane Kevin Kenney John M. LeVoir James McGolrick Francis Missia Thomas O'Gorman Augustin Ravoux James Michael Reardon James O'Reilly Jakub W.J. Pacholski John A. Ryan Patrick J. Ryan Francis Joseph Schenk Alphonse James Schladweiler John Shanley Paul Sirba John Stariha Tim Vakoc Thomas Anthony Welch
Cemeteries	Calvary Cemetery Resurrection Cemetery
Other	The Catholic Spirit Ninth National Eucharistic Congress
Catholicism portal

Authority control databases
International	VIAF FAST WorldCat
National	United States
Other	SNAC

Priesthood

Episcopacy

Bishop of Winona

Archbishop of Dubuque

Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis-Saint Paul

Retirement and death

Notes

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