Albert Lewis Fletcher

Albert Lewis Fletcher (October 28, 1896 – December 6, 1979) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock in Arkansas from 1946 to 1972. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the same diocese from 1939 to 1946.

Biography Early life Albert Fletcher was born on October 28, 1896, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Thomas and Helen (née Wehr) Fletcher. His parents were both converts to Catholicism; his father was originally an Episcopalian and his mother a Lutheran. He and his family moved to Paris, Arkansas, a few months after his birth, then to Tontitown and Mena, both in Arkansas. In 1912, Fletcher entered Little Rock College in North Little Rock, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry in 1916.

Priesthood After completing his theological studies at St. John Home Missions Seminary, Fletcher was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Little Rock by Bishop John Morris on June 4, 1920 in Little Rock. The diocese then assigned Fletcher as an assistant professor of chemistry and biology at Little Rock College. In 1922 he earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Chicago. After returning to Little Rock, he was named president of Little Rock College in 1923.

Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop of Little Rock On December 11, 1939, Fletcher was appointed auxiliary bishop of Little Rock and titular bishop of Samos by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock on April 25, 1940, from Archbishop Amleto Cicognani, with Bishops Jules Jeanmard and William O'Brien serving as co-consecrators.

From 1962 to 1965, Fletcher attended the Second Vatican Council in Rome. Although he inaugurated the liturgical use of the vernacular in his diocese as early as 1964, he did not follow the council's advice on creating permanent deacons, and closed St. John Seminary after some of its faculty publicly questioned the Church's stance on birth control and papal infallibility. Fletcher was also supported American participation in the Vietnam War and opposed giving amnesty to men who avoided conscription.

Retirement and legacy On July 4, 1972, Pope Paul VI accepted Fletcher's resignation as bishop of Little Rock. Albert Fletcher died in Little Rock on December 6, 1979, at age 83. He is buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew.