Raymond James Vonesh (January 25, 1916 – August 16, 1991) was an American

Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. He served as an

auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions. ...

of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1968–1991.

Early life and education

Born in

Cicero, Illinois Cicero is a town in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census, the population was 85,268, making it the 11th-most populous municipality in Illinois. The town is named after Marcus Tullius Cicero, a R ...

, Raymond Vonesh was educated at St. Leonard School, St. Philip High School in Chicago,

Quigley Preparatory Seminary Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was an American seminary preparatory school administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood. It closed in 2007, and became the Archbishop Quigley Center ...

, and

St. Mary of the Lake Seminary The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a Private university, private Roman Catholic seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. It is the principal seminary and theology, school of theology for the formation of priests in the Roman Catholic A ...

. He was ordained a priest for the

Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. The Vatican erected it as a diocese in 1843 and elevated it to an ar ...

by Archbishop

Samuel Stritch Samuel Alphonsius Stritch (August 17, 1887 – May 27, 1958) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Chicago from 1940 to 1958 and as pro-prefect of the Congregation for Propagation of the Faith from March 1958 until hi ...

on May 3, 1941.

Priesthood

After ordination, Vonesh served at Sacred Heart Church in Chicago until 1946 when he was assigned to Holy Name Cathedral. He studied

canon law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

at the

Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyola, and included all ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

from 1947 to 1949. Vonesh became the notary and judge for the Archdiocesan Tribunal upon his return to Chicago. He was assigned as the procurator at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in 1956. Bishop Romeo Blanchette of the Joliet diocese requested of Archbishop John Cody of Chicago a priest experienced in canon law to assist him at the Joliet chancery. Vonesh was sent to the Joliet diocese in 1967 and named

vicar general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop or archbishop of a diocese or an archdiocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vica ...

Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet

On January 5, 1968

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

appointed Vonesh as the

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

of ''Vanariona'' and Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet in Illinois. He was consecrated by John Cardinal Cody of Chicago on April 3, 1968. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Romeo Blanchette of Joliet and Cletus F. O'Donnell of

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

. He continued to serve as an auxiliary bishop until his resignation was accepted by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

on May 7, 1991. During those years he served as pastor of St. Patrick`s Parish in Joliet and vicar for Hispanics and vicar for permanent deacons. He later moved to Holy Cross rectory in Joliet and then became temporary administrator of St. Walter`s Parish in Roselle from 1981–1982. He became chaplain for the

Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women based in Frankfort, Illinois, and located in the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. The Sisters serve in healthcare, education, religious education, p ...

in Mokena in June 1988. Vonesh died at the age of 75 on August 16, 1991. His funeral was held in the

Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus is a Catholic Church, Catholic cathedral in Joliet, Illinois, United States. It is the seat and a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois, Diocese of Joliet in Illinois. History St. Raymond Par ...

on August 21, 1991.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vonesh, Raymond James 1916 births 1991 deaths People from Cicero, Illinois Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois 20th-century American Roman Catholic titular bishops University of Saint Mary of the Lake alumni Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Religious leaders from Illinois Catholics from Illinois