Daniel Kucera

Priesthood On May 26, 1949, Kucera was ordained a priest for the Benedictines at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet, Illinois, by Bishop Martin Dewey McNamara. After his ordination, the Benedictines sent Kucera to Washington D.C. to study at Catholic University of America. He earned a Doctor of Education degree in 1954. Over the years, Kucera's background in education led Vatican officials, including the pope, to seek his opinions on educational matters. He served as abbot until June 1, 1971, when he resigned to become the college's president again. The college closed in 1989.

Archbishop of Dubuque Benedictine University (formerly St. Procopius College), Lisle, Illinois (2011) On December 20, 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Kucera as the eighth archbishop of Dubuque.

Kucera set about reorganizing the archdiocese. This was accomplished by reorganizing or creating archdiocesan boards, and established the first archbishop's cabinet to coordinate the running of the archdiocese. Kucera divided the archdiocese into three regions (Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo) with an bishop running each region. He reduced the number of deaneries from 16 to 14. Kucera appointed a woman religious chancellor, and two lay people were named to archdiocesan offices. His funeral was held at St. Raphael's Cathedral in Dubuque, and he was interred in the cemetery of St. Procopius Abbey.