Kevin Vann

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Kevin William Vann KCHS
Bishop of Orange
Archdiocese	Los Angeles
Diocese	Orange
Appointed	September 21, 2012
Installed	December 10, 2012
Predecessor	Tod Brown
Orders
Ordination	May 30, 1981 by Joseph Alphonse McNicholas
Consecration	July 13, 2005 by José Horacio Gómez, Raymond Leo Burke, and George Joseph Lucas
Personal details
Birth name	Kevin William Vann
Born	May 10, 1951 Springfield, Illinois
Nationality	American
Parents	William Vann Theresa Jones
Previous post	Bishop of Fort Worth (2005-2012)
Alma mater	Millikin University (1974) Kenrick-Glennon Seminary (1981) Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1985)
Motto	In fide et dileccione in Christo Iesu Latin: In the faith and love in Christ Jesus
Coat of arms

Styles of Kevin William Vann
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Kevin William Vann (born May 10, 1951) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was named bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, succeeding the retiring bishop, Tod David Brown, by Pope Benedict XVI on September 21, 2012.

Early life and education

The eldest of six children, Kevin Vann was born in Springfield, Illinois, to William and Theresa (née Jones) Vann.^[1] His father was a postal worker, and his mother was a nurse and clinical instructor at St. John's Hospital.

After attending Griffin High School, Vann studied at Springfield College and Millikin University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology in 1974. He then worked as a medical technologist at St. John's Hospital before entering Immaculate Conception Seminary in 1976. From 1977 to 1981, he studied at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

Priesthood

Vann was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph McNicholas on May 30, 1981.^[2] He then furthered his studies in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, residing at the Pontifical North American College. It was at the Angelicum that in May 1985 he earned his (JCD, Doctor of Canon Law).

Upon his return to the United States in 1985, Vann served as parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield until 1990. He served as judge, defender of the bond, and procurator on the Diocesan Tribunal from 1985 to 1994, also serving on the Metropolitan Court of Appeals for the Province of Chicago. Between 1989 1990, he was also parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish in Pittsfield, Holy Redeemer Parish in Barry, and Holy Family Parish in Griggsville.

Vann was pastor of St. Benedict Parish in Auburn (1990–1992) and later of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Decatur (1992–2001). While serving at Our Lady of Lourdes, he was concurrently a judicial vicar for the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Second Instance for the Province of Chicago (1994–2005) and parochial administrator of St. Isidore Parish in Bethany, Sacred Heart Parish in Dalton City (1995–1997), and Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Parish in Mount Zion (1995). He was also dean of the Decatur Deanery from 1996 to 2001, and became the Bishop's contact for the Hispanic Ministry in 1999. He also taught canon law at his alma mater of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.

Vann became pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in 2001. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was also named Vicar for Clergy in the diocesan chancery. He was raised to the rank of Honorary Chaplain to His Holiness on February 19, 2002. During his tenure at Blessed Sacrament, he oversaw a $2.2 million capital campaign for refurbishing the church, as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of its completion in 1930.

In April 2004, Vann said that he would be "reticent" in giving communion to Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a former parishioner at Blessed Sacrament whose "pro-choice position puts him really outside of communion or unity with the Church's teachings on life."^[3][4]

Episcopal career

On May 17, 2005, Vann was appointed coadjutor bishop of Fort Worth, Texas (part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex), by Pope Benedict XVI.^[2] This was to have been his first assignment as a bishop, but the bishop of the diocese, Joseph Patrick Delaney, died on July 12, 2005. Vann received his episcopal consecration the next day, July 13 (immediately becoming the 3rd Bishop of Fort Worth), from Archbishop José Gómez, with Archbishop Raymond Burke (future cardinal) and Bishop George Lucas serving as co-consecrators, at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.^[2] He selected as his episcopal motto: In Fide Et Dileccione In Christo Iesu, In the faith and love in Christ Jesus.^[5]

During the 2008 presidential election, Vann and Bishop Kevin Farrell issued a joint statement in which they declared, "We cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion—while not the only issue—it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years...As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America."^[6]

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Vann is a member of the committees on marriage, family life, laity and youth, and the subcommittee on marriage and family life.

On September 21, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI announced the transfer of Vann from Fort Worth to the Diocese of Orange, in Orange, California, to succeed retiring Bishop Tod David Brown, 76. (Canon 401.1 of the Latin Church's Code of Canon Law states that bishops, at age 75, must offer a letter of resignation to the Pope for possible acceptance.) Bishop Vann was formally installed as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Orange on December 10, 2012.

He speaks Spanish and Vietnamese in addition to English.^[7]

References

1. "Vita for Bishop Kevin William Vann". Catholic Association of Latino Leaders.
2. "Bishop Kevin William Vann". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
3. Palmo, Rocco (December 15, 2005). "The Bishop-elect: A Primer". Whispers in the Loggia.
4. Branch-Brioso, Karen (June 2, 2004). "Stung by a priest's pronouncement that he'd likely refuse communion to Illinois Sen.". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
5. Google Translation
6. "Joint Statement from Bishop Kevin Farrell and Bishop Kevin Vann to the Faithful of the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth". Catholic Pro-Life Committee. October 8, 2008.
7. Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Departing Catholic Bishop Vann was an asset to the broader North Texas community" September 24, 2012

Episcopal succession