Kenneth Joseph Povish

Kenneth Joseph Povish (April 19, 1924 – September 5, 2003) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Crookston in Minnesota from 1970 to 1975 and as bishop of the Diocese of Lansing in Michigan from 1975 to 1995.

Biography

Early life Kenneth Povish was born on April 19, 1924, in Alpena, Michigan, the eldest child and only son of Joseph and Elizabeth (née Yachaik) Povish. He attended the parochial school of St. Anne's Parish in Gaylord, Michigan, and graduated from Alpena High School in 1942.

Priesthood Povish was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption in Saginaw by Bishop Stephen Woznicki for the Diocese of Saginaw on June 3, 1950. After his ordination, the diocese assigned Povish to the following Michigan parishes:

Assistant pastor at St. Ignatius in Rogers City (1950 to 1952)

Bishop of Lansing Following the death of Bishop Alexander M. Zaleski, Paul VI named Povish as the third bishop of Lansing on October 8, 1975. His installation took place on December 11, 1975. As a member of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB), he was chair of the Committee for Catholic Charismatic Renewal and of the Committee on Vocations. He was also a member of the NCCB Executive Board, the Committee for Laity, and the Committee for Communications.

Retirement and legacy On November 7, 1995, Pope John Paul II accepted Povish's early retirement due to poor health as bishop of Lansing. He then served as apostolic administrator of the diocese until the installation of his successor, Bishop Carl Mengeling in January 1996.

Kenneth Povish died on September 5, 2003, from colon cancer in Lansing at age 79.