Leonard Paul Blair

infobox bishopstyles
name=Leonard Blair
dipstyle=The Most Reverend
offstyle=Your Excellency
relstyle=Bishop
deathstyle=not applicable |

Leonard Paul Blair (born April 12, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the seventh and current Bishop of Toledo.

Biography

Leonard Blair was born in Detroit, Michigan, and there studied at Sacred Heart Seminary, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History. He then furthered his studies in Rome, where he earned a baccalaureate and licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas ("Angelicum"). [Cf. [http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/13805.php?index=13805&po_date=07.10.2003&lang=ge#NOMINA%20DEL%20VESCOVO%20DI%20TOLEDO%20(U.S.A.) Holy See Press Office, "Daily Bulletin of 07.10.2003, Rinunce e nomine, Nomina del Vescovo di Toledo (U.S.A.)"] it icon]

Blair was ordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1976, and then served as vicar general and chancellor of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He taught theology at Sacred Heart Seminary, where he was dean of studies as well. Blair was personal secretary to Edmund Cardinal Szoka and an official of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1994 to 1997, whence he was named pastor of St. Paul Church in Grosse Point Farms.

On July 8, 1999, Blair was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of "Voncariana". He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 24 from Adam Cardinal Maida, with Cardinal Szoka and Bishop Dale Melczek serving as co-consecrators. Blair was later named Bishop of Toledo, Ohio, on October 7, 2003.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bblair.html Catholic-Hierarchy]
* [http://www.toledodiocese.org/content/view/123/191/ Diocese of Toledo]