Michael John Sheridan

Michael Sheridan was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to John and Bernice (née Moore) Sheridan. In 1951, he started attending Corpus Christi Catholic School in Jennings, Missouri. He then went to St. Louis University High School in St. Louis in 1959, graduating in 1963.[1]

Sheridan attended Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri, for one year before entering Cardinal Glennon College Seminary in Shrewsbury, Missouri He graduated in 1967 from Cardinal Glennon with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. Sheridan then entered Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis.[1]

On May 29, 1971, Sheridan was ordained to the priesthood by then Archbishop John Carberry. After his ordination, Sheridan performed pastoral work at parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He also taught on the theological faculty of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. In 1973, Sheridan was awarded a Master of Historical Theology degree from Saint Louis University[1]

In 1974, Sheridan went to Rome to attend Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum, earning a Doctor of Theology degree.[2] He returned to Rome to receive a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree in 1980 with a dissertation entitled The Theology of the Local Church in Vatican II.[1]

In 1988, Sheridan was appointed pastor of Christ the King Parish in University City, Missouri. In 1993, he became pastor of Immacolata Parish in Richmond Heights, Missouri.

On July 8, 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed Sheridan as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and titular bishop of Thibiuca. He received his episcopal consecration on September 3, 1997, from then-Archbishop Justin Rigali, with Bishops Edward O'Donnell and Edward Braxton serving as co-consecrators. Sheridan chose as his episcopal motto: "Virtus in infirmitate perficitur" (2 Corinthians 12:9), meaning, "Strength is made perfect in weakness"). On December 4, 2001 Sheridan was named coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs.[1]

On January 30, 2003, John Paul II appointed Sheridan as the second bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. He was installed on January 30, 2002.[1] Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Sheridan sat on the Committee on Education. He was also a member of the board of governors of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, of the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services, of the International Dominican Foundation, and of the Kenrick Seminary board of trustees.[1]

Sheridan excited controversy in 2004 when he said any Catholic who does not reflect church teaching in the voting booth "makes a mockery of that faith and belies his identity as a Catholic," a remark widely held to refer to Catholic supporters of then Senator John Kerry during the 2004 US Presidential Election campaign. However, Sheridan qualified his statement by saying "...the church never directs citizens to vote for any specific candidate." Kevin Eckstrom of Religion News Service called it the first directive in the nation:

"...that would apply to voters the same controversial sanctions proposed by some bishops against abortion-rights Catholic politicians...also one of the most drastic—equating a particular vote with sinful activity."[3]

Sheridan's stance drew national attention and harsh criticism, which he then softened in a column in the diocesan newspaper. Sheridan's spokesman stated that there was no communion ban on anyone and that decisions on taking communion rested with individuals and their consciences.[4] In 2005, Sheridan's executive assistant, Peter Howard, wrote a column in the diocesan newspaper stating that participating in Protestant church services is contrary to church teaching. Sheridan then issued a public rebuttal, stating that Howard's view "does not represent my thinking on the subject".[5]

On October 31, 2012, Sheridan stated that then Vice President Joe Biden should understand that he should not take communion. Sheridan said that Canon Law 915 did not allow politicians to accept communion if they opposed the serious moral teachings of the church.[6]

On April 30, 2021, Pope Francis accept Sheridan's letter of resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, appointing Father James Golka as his replacement.[7]