Michael John Sheridan

Michael John Sheridan (March 4, 1945 – September 27, 2022)

Biography Early life Michael Sheridan was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to John and Bernice (née Moore) Sheridan. In 1951, he started attending Corpus Christi Catholic School in Jennings, Missouri. He then went to St. Louis University High School in St. Louis in 1959, graduating in 1963.

Sheridan attended Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri, for one year before entering Cardinal Glennon College Seminary in Shrewsbury, Missouri. He graduated in 1967 from Cardinal Glennon with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. Sheridan then entered Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. He returned to Rome to receive a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree in 1980 with a dissertation entitled The Theology of the Local Church in Vatican II. Sheridan's stance drew national attention and harsh criticism, which he then softened in a column in the diocesan newspaper. Sheridan's spokesman stated that there was no communion ban on anyone and that decisions on taking communion rested with individuals and their consciences. In 2005, Sheridan's executive assistant, Peter Howard, wrote a column in the diocesan newspaper stating that participating in Protestant church services is contrary to church teaching. Sheridan then issued a public rebuttal, stating that Howard's view "does not represent my thinking on the subject".

Retirement and legacy On April 30, 2021, Pope Francis accepted Sheridan's letter of resignation as bishop of Colorado Springs, appointing Reverend James Golka as his replacement. Michael Sheridan died on September 27, 2022, in a Colorado Springs hospital.