Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Archbishop Charles A. Schleck, C.S.C, died shortly before dawn on July 12 at Holy Cross House on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA. He had turned 86 years old just days earlier. He had been in hospice since December. The body will be exposed on Sunday, July 17 at the Moreau Seminary on the campus at the University of Notre Dame. The funeral will be held on July 18 at 9:30am at the Sacred Heart Basilica, presided by Archbishop Daniel Jenky, C.S.C, Bishop of Peoria, Illinois, who was ordained by Archbishop Schleck several years ago. Archbishop Schleck will be buried in the cemetery of the Congregation of Holy Cross, on the Notre Dame in Campus.
He was born in Milwaukee (Wisconsin, USA) July 5, 1925, after his first studies Charles Schleck entered the Congregation of Holy Cross (CSC) and on August 16, 1944 he made his first vows "ad tempus". On the same date in 1948 he made his perpetual vows. In 1948 he received his B.A. at the Notre Dame University (Indiana, USA) and in 1950 his Baccalaureate of theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome. He was ordained a priest on December 22, 1951, continuing his studies of theology at the University of St. Thomas, earning his degree of Licentiate in 1952 and his Doctorate in 1953. He went back to the U.S.A, where he taught theology at the University of Notre Dame (1953/54) and at "summer schools" for higher grades (1953/1961), in addition to spiritual theology at the Holy Cross College in Washington (1954 / 1961). After a short period spent in Rome as the Dean of studies at the Theologian of the Holy Cross (1961/62), he started teaching dogmatic and spiritual theology again in Washington, in addition, as Dean of studies (1962/68) he carried out a number of other tasks: Consultant to different religious communities in California, Apostolic Visitor for the Congregation for Institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, Apostolic Visitor for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (full-time in 1972/73), Visiting Professor of Theology at St. Mary's College, Visiting Professor in the institute for religious superior premises in the United States in Notre Dame, a preacher of the spiritual exercises for several general and provincial chapters. Sacramental theology and theology of religious life were subjects of his specialization.
From 1 January 1974 he began to work in the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples: first as an "Expert" in the religious sector (1974/76), then as responsible for Indian affairs (1976/86) and finally as undersecretary of the ministry since 1986. The Holy Father John Paul II appointed him Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples on 10 February 1995, raising him with the dignity of Archbishop to the titular see of Africa and giving him the post of President of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS). He was consecrated Bishop on the following April 1, in the chapel of the Pontifical Urban College, by the Prefect of the Missionary Congregation, Cardinal Jozef Tomko, assisted by Archbishop Giuseppe Uhac, Secretary of the CEP, and Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, Deputy Secretary of State for General Affairs. He left the Missionary Congregation, having reached retirement age, on 1 October 2010. Author of several books on theology and dozens of articles published in several magazines, he was also a member of the "Catholic Theological Society of America". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 07/14/2011)
