Jeffrey M. Fleming

Jeffrey Michael Fleming (born February 10, 1966) is an American bishop of the Catholic Church and is the bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings in Montana. Fleming was named coadjutor in 2022 and bishop in 2023.

Biography

Early life Jeffrey Fleming was born in Billings, Montana, on February 10, 1966, to Mike and Glenda (née Gibson) Fleming, and raised in Belt, Montana, along with two sisters. Jeffrey Fleming received his sacraments of Confession, First Holy Communion and Confirmation at Saint Mark's Catholic Church in Belt.

Fleming obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and religious education at Carroll College in Helena, Montana, in 1988.

Priesthood

Fleming was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Helena on May 19, 1992, by Eldon F. Curtiss, Bishop of Helena. After his 1992 ordination, the diocese assigned Fleming as parochial vicar of the Anaconda Catholic Community in Anaconda Four years later, he was transferred to the Saint Helena Cathedral Parish to serve as associate pastor there.

In response to a 2020 instruction from the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy regarding role of the parish in view of the institutional decline of the Catholic Church, Fleming said that every parishioner is called to be a: "...witness of Christ, a light to the world..Pope Francis is calling us to be a church that looks outwardly, not just inside the church itself... To bring more people to the table, especially the poor and marginalized."

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Great Falls-Billings

Pope Francis appointed Fleming as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings on April 19, 2022, to assist Bishop Michael Warfel He was consecrated by Warfel in Great Falls, Montana, on June 22 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Bishop George Leo Thomas was to have served as one of his co-consecrators but tested positive for COVID-19. Archbishop Alexander Sample served in his place.

Pope Francis accepted Warfel's resignation on 22 Aug 2023. Fleming succeeded Warfel as bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings at that time.