Robert William Muench

Styles of Robert William Muench
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Robert William Muench (born December 28, 1942) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fifth and current Bishop of Baton Rouge, having previously served as Bishop of Covington from 1996 to 2002.

Early life and education

Robert Muench was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to William Anthony and Mary Kathryn (née Allgeier) Muench; he has three sisters, Jo Ann, Mary Alice, and Marsha.^[1] At age 3, he and his family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. He entered St. Joseph Seminary in 1956, and then Notre Dame Seminary in 1962, from where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy.

From 1964 to 1968, Muench studied at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., earning a Master's in Education. He also attended courses at Loyola University and the University of New Orleans.^[1]

Priesthood

Muench was ordained to the priesthood on May 18, 1968.^[2] He then sat on the faculty of St. John Vianney Preparatory School until 1977, serving as religion teacher, liturgy director, guidance counselor, and eventually rector. During this time, Muench also assisted at various parishes in New Orleans. He was associate pastor and later co-pastor of St. Matthias Church between 1976 and 1982.^[1]

Muench served as Vicar for Christian Formation (1977-1981) and Director of Vocations (1981-1983) for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He was named Director of the Pope John XXIII House for Vocation Discernment and Executive Assistant to Archbishop Philip Hannan in 1983. After becoming a Honorary Prelate of His Holiness in 1985, he was made Vicar General (1989) and Moderator of the Curia (1990) for the archdiocese.^[1]

Episcopal career

On May 8, 1990, Muench was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans and Titular Bishop of Mactaris by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 29 from Archbishop Francis Schulte, with Archbishop Hannan and Bishop John Favalora serving as co-consecrators.^[2] He selected as his episcopal motto, "Jesus Must Increase" (John 3:30).^[3]

Bishop of Covington

Muench was later named the ninth Bishop of Covington, Kentucky, on January 5, 1996, being formally installed on the following March 19. During his tenure, he oversaw the repair and renovation of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption.

He was also a member on the Boards of St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Edgewood Hospital, Chancellor of Thomas More College, and a member of the Committee on Priestly Formation within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.^[1]

Bishop of Baton Rouge

John Paul II appointed Muench the fifth Bishop of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on December 15, 2001. His installation took place at its St. Joseph Cathedral on March 14, 2002.

Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Muench joined Archbishop Alfred Hughes and Governor Kathleen Blanco in a televised appearance declaring a day of prayer for the state of Louisiana.^[4] He has also restricted the Legion of Christ and its lay branch, Regnum Christi, within the diocese because of the Legion's controversial recruiting practices.^[5]

References

Episcopal succession

Diocese of Covington
Ordinaries	Bishops George Aloysius Carrell Augustus Toebbe Camillus Paul Maes Ferdinand Brossart Francis William Howard William Theodore Mulloy Richard Henry Ackerman William Anthony Hughes Robert William Muench Roger Joseph Foys
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption Parishes Mary, Queen of Heaven, Erlanger Mother of God Roman Catholic Church, Covington Saint John the Baptist, Wilder Retreat center, convent St. Anne Convent, Melbourne
Education	Colleges Thomas More College, Crestview Hills High schools Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria Covington Catholic High School, Park Hills (all boys) Covington Latin School, Covington Holy Cross High School, Covington Newport Central Catholic High School, Newport Notre Dame Academy, Park Hills (all girls) St. Henry District High School, Erlanger St. Patrick's High School, Maysville Villa Madonna Academy, Villa Hills
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Archdiocese of New Orleans
Ordinaries	Bishops Luis Ignatius Peñalver y Cárdenas Francisco Porró y Reinado Louis-Guillaume Dubourg Joseph Rosati Leo-Raymond de Neckere Archbishops Antoine Blanc Jean-Marie Odin Napoléon-Joseph Perché Francis Xavier Leray Francis Janssens Placide Louis Chapelle James Hubert Blenk John William Shaw Joseph Francis Rummel John Patrick Cody Philip Matthew Hannan Francis Bible Schulte Alfred Clifton Hughes Gregory Michael Aymond Auxiliary bishops Gustave Augustin Rouxel John Laval Louis Abel Caillouet Harold Perry, S.V.D. Stanley Joseph Ott Robert William Muench Dominic Carmon, S.V.D. Gregory Michael Aymond Roger Paul Morin Shelton Joseph Fabre Fernand J. Cheri, O.F.M.
Churches	Cathedral St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans Orleans Parish Immaculate Conception Our Lady of Guadalupe St. Augustine Church St. Mary's Assumption St. Patrick's
Schools	Higher education Loyola Our Lady of Holy Cross Xavier Notre Dame Seminary Saint Joseph Seminary College High schools Academy of Our Lady Academy of the Sacred Heart (K-12) Archbishop Chapelle High School Archbishop Hannan High School Archbishop Rummel High School Archbishop Shaw High School Brother Martin High School Cabrini High School De La Salle High School Holy Cross High School Holy Rosary High School Jesuit High School Mount Carmel Academy Pope John Paul II St. Charles Catholic High School St. Augustine High School Saint Mary's Academy St. Mary's Dominican High School St. Paul's School St. Scholastica Academy Ursuline Academy Xavier University Preparatory School
Miscellany	Newspaper Clarion Herald Sports league New Orleans Catholic League
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