Bishop Gilbert I. Sheldon

Born:
Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon was born Sept. 20, 1926 in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Ignatius P. and Stephanie J. (Olszewski) Sheldon (both deceased). Bishop Sheldon is one of 12 children.

Education:
He attended St. Philip Neri Elementary, Cleveland, Ohio; Cathedral Latin High School, Cleveland Ohio; John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio; St. Mary Seminary, Cleveland, Ohio (Master of Divinity); The Ohio Consortium of Seminaries (Doctor of Ministry); Honorary Doctorate: Wheeling Jesuit College, Wheeling, West Virginia, and Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.

Ordination:
On Feb. 28, 1953, he was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban and  to Episcopacy, June 11, 1976, by Bishop James A. Hickey.

Assignments After Ordination to Priesthood:
Father Sheldon was associate pastor of St. Rose Church in  Cleveland, Ohio, St. Clare, Lyndhurst, Sts. Philip and James, Cleveland, Ohio. He served as diocesan director of the  Society for the Propagation of the Faith, chaplain at Magnificat High School, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Oberlin, Ohio; Episcopal Vicar, Lorain County; notary for the diocesan Tribunal; prosynodal judge in the Diocesan Tribunal. He was a member of the academic board at  St. Mary Seminary, a member of the board of trustee at Borromeo College; instructor at St. John College, chaplain for Serra West, chaplain of the West Park Knights of Columbus.

Assignments as Bishop:
Bishop Sheldon was vicar for Marriage and Family Concerns (1976); vicar of  Summit County (1978); vicar of the  Southern Region (1979) for the Diocese of Cleveland. He was installed the third bishop of Steubenville, April 2, 1992, and retired Aug. 6, 2002.

Diocesan Boards:
Bishop Sheldon served on the following: Diocesan Presbyteral Council; Pro-synodal Judge (Second Instance Court); Board of trustees for St. Mary Seminary; Diocesan Health Insurance Advisory Board; (formerly:) Board of Trustees, Borromeo College; Academic Board, St. Mary Seminary; Diocesan Consultors; Board of Trustees; Catholic Charities Corporation.

National Boards:
Bishops' Committee for Latin America; Administrative Committee, NCCB/USCC; National Advisory Council; Bishops' Committee for Missions; National Board, Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

Community Boards:
International Chemical Workers Advisory Board; Akron U. Clergy Economic Advisory Board; Summit Mental Health Advisory Board; Summit Chapter, National Cancer Society; Goals for Greater Akron.

Memberships:
Knights of Columbus, Order of Alhambra, Catholic War Veterans, American Legion, Rotary Club, Serra Club of Steubenville.

Miscellaneous:
Travels included 23 countries in five continents: Military Service: U.S. Army, Air Force, WW II; principal lay occupation: machinist; hobbies: golf, astronomy, photography, history.

Retirement:
Bishop Sheldon resided in Steubenville after retirement and served as Judge of the First Instance and Judge of the Second Instance in the diocesan office of Church Law. He was invested into the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. Bishop Sheldon was also a 2014 Caritas Honoree.

Death:

Bishop Sheldon died April 24, 2023. He was 96 years old.

A funeral Mass was celebrated at Holy Rosary Church, Steubenville, May 2, 2023. Bishop Sheldon was interred in the bishop’s section of Coronation Mausoleum at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Steubenville.

Episcopal Motto: Fortes in Fide