Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Member Becomes Archbishop of Philadelphia

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Archbishop Charles J. Chaput
Potawatomi

PHILADELPHIA - Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation tribal member, Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput was installed yesterday as the thirteenth Bishop and ninth Archbishop to be installed in Philadelphia.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Chairman Steve Ortiz traveled to Philadelphia to attend the installation Mass of Archbishop Chaput, perhaps the Tribe's most visible public figure among its tribal membership. Jerry Tuckwin, a fellow Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation tribal member and chairperson of the PBP Entertainment Board, also was in attendance at the installation.

There are some 1,316,220 registered and non-registered Catholics in the Philadelphia diocese.

Archbishop's Visit to
the Potawatomi Nation

"Whatever my weaknesses and whatever my lacks, no bishop will give more of himself than I will to renewing this great Church," the Archbishop Chaput declared in his installation homily. "Everything I've learned, everything I know, and everything I have, I will give to this ministry, because all of you -the people of God - deserve at least that much."

Archbishop Chaput was born in Concordia, Kansas, where his mother still resides. He was one of three children born to the union of Joseph and Marian Helen (née DeMarais) Chaput.

His maternal grandmother was the last of the family to live on Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Indian reservation. He was given the Indian name, "Pietasen," which means rustling wind. His mother fondly called him "Windy."

Archbishop Chaput, who is 66, is a member of the Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin. He was ordained a priest in 1970 and became a bishop at the age of 43. At that time he became the Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota.

He served as the Archbishop of Denver since 1997 until he was named to his current post in Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI in July. While in Denver, under his leadership, the American Indian Catholic members grew to about 2,000 within the diocese.

Archbishop Chaput is the second American Indian to be ordained a Bishop in the United States and the first American Indian Archbishop. He succeeds succeed Cardinal Justin Rigali, who resigned due to age, as required by the Catholic Church.

posted September 9, 2011 7:00 am edt