Una Voce America

Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz Named Recipient of Fidelis Award ELMHURST, Pa.—Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln Nebraska, has been named recipient of the 2003 Fidelis Award of the North American District of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The award is conferred for distinguished service to the Priestly Fraternity in North America. In announcing the award Father George Gabet, FSSP, North American District Superior, cited Bishop Bruskewitz’s pastoral service to the Fraternity. “The North American District of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is proud to present the Fidelis Award to Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz for being an undaunted successor of the apostles, always faithful to Holy Mother Church and a true shepherd to his people. We are especially grateful to Bishop Bruskewitz for his invaluable assistance in the building of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary to provide good and holy priests for the future.” Bishop Bruskewitz will receive the Fidelis Award on Dec. 3rd during a dinner at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, Denton, Nebraska. Attending the presentation dinner will be guests of Bishop Bruskewitz, Father Arnaud Devillers, FSSP, Fraternity Superior General, Father James Jackson, FSSP, Seminary Rector, Father Gabet and priests and seminarians of the North American District. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bishop Bruskewitz received his seminary training at St, Lawrence Seminary, Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, St. Frances Seminary, Milwaukee, the Pontifical North American College and the Gregorian University, Rome. Upon ordination in Rome in 1960 he served in parish ministry near Milwaukee. Following graduate studies at the Gregorian University he received a doctorate in Dogmatic Theology in 1969 and taught for a short time at St. Francis Seminary. Bishop Bruskewitz served for eleven years in Rome in the Congregation for Catholic Education, a department of the Holy See. In 1976 he was named a Monsignor and in 1980 elevated to be a Prelate of Honor. Bishop Bruskewitz served as pastor of Saint Bernard Parish, a suburb of Milwaukee, until 1992 when he was named the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln. He was consecrated a bishop and installed in the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln on May 13, 1992. In 1995 Bishop Bruskewitz inaugurated a year of reflection, teaching and adoration of our Eucharistic Lord by promoting parish prayers and days of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. The year, which included a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, culminated with a Eucharistic Congress Mass attended by some 5,000. The year served as a preparation for the Diocesan Synod of 1996,in which the entire Diocese of Lincoln participated with a reflective and prayerful focus on all aspects of diocesan life. In 1998 Bishop Bruskewitz announced the opening of a new diocesan college seminary, St. Gregory the Great and in 2000, following Bishop Bruskewitz’s invitation, the Priestly Fraternity opened Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. During the tenure of Bishop Bruskewitz the diocese assumed sponsorship of the renowned Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, built Paul the VI Heights in Lincoln to provide affordable housing in the promotion of family life for those with low or moderate incomes and created two new parishes and a new elementary facility in addition to the on going maintenance of parishes and schools. Bishop Bruskewitz continues to promote priestly and religious vocations, Catholic education, health care and social services as some of the many areas of diocesan life. Posted 11 December 2003/sl