Kenneth Steiner


Kenneth Donald Steiner is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He is currently Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, having served from 1978 to November 2011.

Biography

Kenneth Steiner was born in David City, Nebraska, one of five children of Lawrence and Florine Steiner. His father died when Kenneth was very young, and the family then moved to Oregon, where he attended in Portland. He graduated from Mount Angel Seminary High School and College in 1958, and studied for the priesthood at St. Thomas the Apostle Seminary in Kenmore.
Steiner was ordained a priest by Archbishop Edward Howard on May 19, 1962. His first assignment was as an associate pastor at in Coos Bay, where he remained until 1967. He then served at St. Mary's Cathedral and , both in Portland. In Portland, he also began a marriage preparation program and a ministry to divorced and separated Catholics.
In 1972, Steiner was named pastor of in Coquille with its missions in Myrtle Point and Powers. He then served as pastor of in Roy and chairman of Priests' Personnel Committee.
On November 28, 1977, Steiner was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Portland and Titular Bishop of Avensa by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on March 2, 1978 from Archbishop Cornelius Power, with Bishops Elden Curtiss and Alfredo Méndez-Gonzalez, at the Portland Civic Auditorium. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of in Corvallis, Vicar for Clergy and Clergy Personnel Director, Vicar for Worship and Ministry, and chairman of the Priests' Retirement Facility Committee.
Steiner served as archdiocesan administrator before the appointments of Archbishops Francis George and John George Vlazny. He served as pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Milwaukie before being named to in North Plains. He also serves as Vicar for Senior and Infirm priests and a member of the Resource Development Office.

Episcopal succession