Eusebius J. Beltran
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| Styles of Eusebius J. Beltran |
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| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Eusebius Joseph Beltran (born August 31, 1934) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Archbishop of Oklahoma City, having previously served as Bishop of Tulsa from 1978 to 1993.
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[edit] Early life and ministry
Eusebius Beltran was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Helen (née Kozlowski) Beltran. His father was a Spanish immigrant and coal miner, later dying of black lung disease. The fifth of eight children, Beltran has two siblings who entered the religious life as well; one brother also became a priest and one sister became a nun, taking the religious name Sister Sponsa and working as a missionary in Liberia. He was raised in Wilkes Barre and attended Marymount School. He took the name Joseph as his confirmation name.
Beltran's father later moved the family to Georgia in search of employment. Aspiring to become a missionary, he became a seminarian for the Diocese of Savannah following his graduation from high school. Beltran returned to Pennsylvania for eight years, studying at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Francis Hyland on May 14, 1960. Beltran then did pastoral and curial work in the Archdiocese of Atlanta until 1978. He also participated in the 1965 Selma marches during the civil rights movement.
[edit] Episcopal career
[edit] Bishop of Tulsa
On February 28, 1978, Beltran was appointed Bishop of Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 20 from Archbishop Charles Salatka, with Archbishop Thomas Donnellan and Bishop Andrew McDonald serving as co-consecrators. His mother, Helen, died shortly afterwards.
Most notable among his charity work were his efforts to assist persons in need, including unwed mothers, AIDS victims, unborn children threatened by legal abortion, homeless families, and women who had just been released from prison.
[edit] Archbishop of Oklahoma City
On November 24, 1992, Beltran was elevated to the position of Archbishop of Oklahoma City by Pope John Paul II. He was installed on January 22, 1993. Beltran continues to perform works of charity. Because of his designation as Archbishop of Oklahoma City, Beltran is also the official publisher the Sooner Catholic, a bi-monthly newspaper that delivers news and other information to Catholics who live in Oklahoma. Beltran's homilies are featured in each publication.
In 2009, he expressed his opposition to President Barack Obama giving the commencement speech at and receiving an honorary degree from the University of Notre Dame, saying, "President Obama, by word and action, has approved of abortion and other atrocities against human life. Therefore he deserves no recognition at a Catholic institution."[1]
[edit] See also
- Roman Catholic Church
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
- Sooner Catholic
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Homepage of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma
- Brief biography of Archbishop Beltran
- Homepage of The Sooner Catholic Online.
- Archive of Homilies of Archbishop Beltran
| Preceded by Charles A. Salatka |
Archbishop of Oklahoma City 1993–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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