Hubbry Logo
search
logo

Kenneth Angell

logo
Community Hub0 Subscribers
Write something...
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
See all
Kenneth Angell

Kenneth Anthony Angell (August 3, 1930 – October 4, 2016) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Burlington from 1992 to 2005. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Providence from 1974 to 1992.

One of three children, Kenneth Angell was born on August 3, 1930, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Henry and Mae (née Cooney) Angell. After attending public elementary schools in East Providence, Rhode Island, he studied at Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick, Rhode Island and at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. His brother, David Angell, who, along with his wife, were killed in the September 11 attacks, was an American screenwriter and television producer, known for his work in hit American television sitcoms.

Angell was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Russell McVinney for the Diocese of Providence on May 26, 1957. He then served as parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Jamestown, Rhode Island and at Sacred Heart Parish in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. After serving at St. Mary's Parish in Newport, Rhode Island, Angell then received his first pastorate at St. John's Parish in Providence.

From 1968 to 1972, Angell served as assistant chancellor for the diocese and secretary to Bishop McVinney. He served as chancellor under Bishop Louis Gelineau from 1972 to 1974 and was raised to the rank of monsignor by the Vatican in December 1972. Angell became vicar general of the diocese in August 1974.

On August 9, 1974, Angell was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Providence and Titular Bishop of Septimunicia by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on October 7, 1974, from Bishop Louis Gelineau, with Archbishop John Whealon and Bishop John Hackett serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Providence.

In 1989, Angell promised to "take care of it" when the Providence priest Normand Demers was arrested and jailed for misconduct with boys while working at The Haitian Project; Demers was later brought back to work in the diocese. Angell testified in a 1990 lawsuit that he did not take allegations against another priest, Rev. William O'Connell, seriously. O'Connell was later convicted and served a short sentence before moving to New Jersey, where he committed more crimes and died in prison.

Angell was named the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Burlington by Pope John Paul II on October 6, 1992. Angell was installed at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Burlington on November 9, 1992.

Faced with a shortage of priests in Burlington, and a decline in weekly Mass attendance, Angell consolidated Sacred Heart and St. Francis de Sales Parishes in Bennington as well as St. Cecilia and St. Frances Cabrini in East Barre, and closed Our Lady of the Lake in St. Albans. Angell's younger brother, producer David Angell, and his wife Lynn died on September 11, 2001, during the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11 which crashed into North Tower of World Trade Center in New York City, killing all passengers on-board. Angell later said,

See all
User Avatar
No comments yet.