Michael David Pfeifer

Michael David Pfeifer O.M.I. (born May 18, 1937) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo in Texas from 1985 to 2012. He is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Oblates).

Biography

Early life Michael Pfeifer was born on May 18, 1937, in Alamo, Texas, the son of Maund Pfeifer and Alice Clausney Savage.

Priesthood On December 21, 1964, Pfeifer was ordained into the priesthood by Bishop Stephen Leven for the Oblates. After his ordination, the Oblates assigned Pfeifer as a missionary in Mexico for several years.

Pfeifer has spoken against medical research using embryonic stem cells, instead promoting the use of adult stem cells.

In December 2008, Pfeifer and the Diocese of San Angelo were sued by a San Angelo man. The plaintiff claimed that Reverend David Espitia, pastor of St. Ann's Parish in Colorado City, Texas, had sexually abused him from 1994, when he was age eight, to 2002 and that the diocese covered up the crimes. In response, Pfeifer said that Espita told him on June 13, 2003, about the allegations and denied all of them. At that time, Pfeifer initiated an investigation. A week after his meeting with Pfeifer, Espita committed suicide. On November 21, 2011, the diocese reached an out-of-court settlement with the plaintiff.

The 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on sexual abuse by clergy included a section on the transfer of Reverend Thomas C. Kelley, a priest from the Diocese of Erie in Pennsylvania, to San Angelo, despite a record of sexual abuse of young men. Five men aged 28 to 25 accused Kelley of sexual advances either at a high school or in the seminary; one man received a financial settlement from the Diocese of Erie. Kelley was sent to for psychological treatment twice; both facilities released him with recommendations to have no contact with young parishioners.

In 1995, Kelley requested a transfer to San Angelo. Pfeifer had a conversation in 1995 with Erie Bishop Donald Trautman in which they discussed Kelley's record and his transfer. Pfeiffer eventually agreed to Kelley's transfer without any restrictions. There were no allegations of abuse filed against Kelley during his ten years in the San Angelo; he died in 2005. Pfeifer has refused to comment on the story. Bishop Michael Sis, the current bishop of San Angelo, said he felt hurt and angry about the Kelley allegations.

Retirement Pfeifer submitted his resignation letter as bishop of San Angelo to Pope Benedict XVI on Pfeifer's 75th birthday on May 18, 2012. Pope Francis accepted Pfeifer's resignation on December 12, 2013.