Daniel Edward Pilarczyk

Daniel Edward Pilarczyk (August 12, 1934 – March 22, 2020) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1982 to 2009. He previously served there as an auxiliary bishop from 1974 to 1982.

Early life and education Daniel Pilarczyk was born on August 12, 1934 in Dayton, Ohio, the only child of Daniel Joseph and Frieda (Hilgefort) Pilarczyk. After receiving his early education at Our Lady of Mercy and St. Anthony parochial schools, he attended Sacred Heart Latin School. At age 14, he entered Saint Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. He remained in Rome for his postgraduate studies, earning a Doctor of Sacred Theology from the Urbaniana in 1961. Pilarczyk served as vice president (1986–1989) and president (1989–1992) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In 2003, Pilarczyk pleaded no contest to five misdemeanor counts of failing to report felonies and admitted facts that constituted guilt; the archdiocese was found guilty of failing to report its crimes, and the judge said that church leaders had placed self-preservation ahead of their moral duty to minister to the victims. In October 2008, Bishop Dennis Marion Schnurr was named by Pope Benedict XVI as Pilarczyk's coadjutor archbishop.

Retirement and legacy On August 12, 2009, Pilarczyk resigned as archbishop of Cincinnati on his 75th birthday, as mandated by the Vatican. It was formally accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on December 21, 2009. His funeral mass on March 27, 2020 was streamed online from St. Peter in Chains Cathedral. It was closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.