Lawrence Donald Soens

Lawrence Donald Soens (August 26, 1926 – November 1, 2021) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City in Iowa from 1983 to 1998.

The Most Reverend

Lawrence Donald Soens
Bishop Emeritus of Sioux City
ChurchCatholic Church
AppointedJune 15, 1983
InstalledAugust 17, 1983
Term endedNovember 28, 1998
PredecessorFrank Henry Greteman
SuccessorDaniel DiNardo
Orders
OrdinationMay 6, 1950
ConsecrationAugust 17, 1983
by James Joseph Byrne, Gerald Francis O'Keefe, Frank Henry Greteman
Personal details
Born(1926-08-26)August 26, 1926
Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.
DiedNovember 1, 2021(2021-11-01) (aged 95)
Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.
Styles of
Lawrence Donald Soens
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop
Ordination history of
Lawrence Donald Soens
History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byJames Joseph Byrne
DateAugust 17, 1983
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Lawrence Donald Soens as principal consecrator
Daniel DiNardoOctober 7, 1997

In 2008, the Diocese of Davenport in Iowa announced that it had found multiple accusations that Soens had sexually abused children when a priest to be credible.

Life and career

Early life

Soens was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on August 26, 1926. He was educated at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, Saint Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, and studied for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary In Shrewsbury, Missouri. He also completed graduate studies at the University of Iowa.[1]

Priesthood

Soens was ordained a priest on May 6, 1950, for the Diocese of Davenport. He was engaged in both academic and pastoral work in the diocese as a priest. Soens' first assignment was as an assistant pastor at St. Paul's Church in Burlington, Iowa. He then joined the faculty of St. Ambrose Academy in Davenport and then became the assistant pastor at St. Bridget's Parish in Victor, Iowa.

Soen's next assignment was as director of Regina High School in Iowa City. He went on to become the rector of St. Ambrose Seminary and served on the faculty of St. Ambrose College. His next assignment was as pastor at Assumption Parish in Charlotte, Iowa and St. Patrick Parish in Villa Nova, Iowa. He was pastor at St. Mary's Church in Clinton, Iowa, when Pope John Paul II named him a prelate of nonor, with the title of monsignor on December 18, 1981.[2]

Bishop of Sioux City

On June 15, 1983, John Paul II named Soens as the fifth bishop of Sioux City. He was consecrated on August 17, 1983, at the Cathedral of the Ephiphany by Archbishop James Byrne. Bishop Gerald O'Keefe and Bishop Frank Greteman were the principal co-consecrators.[3]

In February 1986, Soens received a letter detailing allegations against Jerome Coyle, a diocese priest. The diocese had sent Coyle to Minnesota to train as a hospital chaplain. A supervisor in that program wrote Soens that Coyle was exhibiting inappropriate behavior around young boys. Soens then dispatched Coyle to the Servants of the Paraclete foundation house in Jemez Springs, New Mexico for evaluation and treatment. On May 15, 1986, the Foundation informed Soens that Coyle had admitted to fondling up to 50 teenagers. Soens suspended Coyle from parish assignments, but did not report any of his crimes to authorities.[4]

While he was bishop, many programs were established or expanded including: Ministry 2000, the Priests Retirement Fund, youth ministry programs and the diocese mandated parish pastoral and finance commissions.[5]

In 1997, Soens requested a coadjutor bishop and on August 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II named Msgr. Daniel DiNardo from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.[6] Soens' resignation as Bishop of Sioux City was accepted by the Holy See on November 28, 1998, and he became bishop emeritus of Sioux City.

Later life and death
Main article: Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic diocese of Davenport

On June 8,2005, Soens and the diocese were sued by a man who accused Soens of fondling him starting in 1963 when Soens was director at Regina Catholic High School in Iowa City.[7] [8]

On November 6, 2008, the diocesan review board for the Diocese of Sioux City reported that there were credible accusations that Soens had sexually abused minors. Thirty-one men had accused him of abusing them between 1950 and 1983. The case was referred to the Vatican for further action.[9]

Soens died in Sioux City, Iowa, on November 1, 2021, at age 95.[3]

See also

References
  1. Bunson, Matthew (2010). 2010 Catholic Almanac. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor. p. 414. ISBN 9781592766147.
  2. "Seven priests celebrate jubilees". The Catholic Globe. 2004-04-14. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  3. "Bishop Lawrence Donald Soens". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. "Iowa bishop says diocese never tried to cover up abuse by former priest | The Catholic Sun". thecatholicsun.com. 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  5. Diocese of Sioux City History, www.scdiocese.org
  6. "Daniel Nicholas Cardinal DiNardo". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  7. "Former Sioux City Bishop Named in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit". www.bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  8. "Retired bishop abused minors. - Free Online Library".
  9. "Diocesan board finds retired Iowa bishop abused minors". National Catholic Reporter. 2008-11-06. Retrieved 2021-11-10.

Episcopal succession
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