Michael William Fisher

Michael William Fisher (born March 3, 1958) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo in New York since 2021. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington in the District of Columbia.

Biography

Early life Michael Fisher was born on March 3, 1958, in Baltimore, Maryland, the eldest of five children. As a child, he delivered newspapers for The Baltimore Sun and worked at a gas station. Fisher attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and achieved the rank of eagle scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

After his high school graduation, Fisher attended the University of Maryland, earning a Bachelor of Science in business administration and accounting in 1984. Fisher then worked as a comptroller for a psychiatric practice in Bethesda, Maryland.

After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Fisher as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in La Plata, Maryland. He was moved in 1995 to Holy Family Parish in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, to serve as pastor there. Four years later, the archdiocese transferred him to be pastor at St. John Neumann Parish in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Fisher was named a chaplain to his holiness by Pope John Paul II in 2005.

Auxiliary bishop of Washington

Pope Francis appointed Fisher as an auxiliary bishop of Washington on June 8, 2018. Fisher was consecrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. by Wuerl on June 29, 2018, with Bishops Barry C. Knestout and Mario E. Dorsonville acting as co-consecrators. Fisher's installation occurred on January 15, 2021. Regarding the sex abuse allegations against priests in the diocese, Fisher made this statement:“Trust has been broken. Because of the clergy abuse, as well as other things. I really feel we need to rebuild that trust through our actions. Part of that will be looking out for those who are vulnerable and in need of our healing. I want to be part of the healing process.”