Raymond E. Goedert

Raymond Emil Goedert (October 15, 1927 – December 9, 2023) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. Goedert served as an auxiliary bishop of the Latin Church Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 1991 to 2003.

Early years
Raymond Goedert was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on October 15, 1927. He attended St. Giles Elementary School in Oak Park and Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago.

Goedert attended Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate of Canon Law. He also went to University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, where he was awarded a Licentiate in Sacred Theology.

Priesthood
On May 1, 1952, Goedert was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago by Cardinal Samuel Stritch. Arter his ordination, Goedert served as associate pastor for St. Gabriel and Blessed Sacrament Parishes in Chicago, and Mater Christi Parish in North Riverside, Illinois. He was also a notary, vice officialis, judge of the Tribunal, archdiocesan consultor, vicar for priests, archdiocesan director of NAIM, and pastor of St. Barnabas Parish in Chicago.

Goedert served as vicar general of the archdiocese from 1995 to 2003 and again briefly from August 2004 to November 2004.

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago
On July 8, 1991, Pope John Paul II appointed Goedert as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago and titular bishop of Tamazeni. He was consecrated by then Archbishop Joseph Bernardin on August 29, 1991. In 1998, Goedert was one of 75 U.S. Catholic bishops to condemn the U.S. policy on strategic nuclear weapons.

Retirement and legacy
Goedert sent his letter of retirement as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago to Pope John Paul II on January 24, 2003.

In 2008, as part of a legal settlement between the Archdiocese of Chicago and sexual abuse victims, Goedert answered questions in a deposition. Goedert admitted that when he was vicar general of the archdiocese, he knew of sexual abuse allegations against 25 priests. However, he did not report any of them to police because the standard practice then was to forward the matter to the diocese attorneys. The attorneys would then tell him if a police report was necessary, but they never did.

Goedert served as vicar general under Bernardin and lived with Cardinal Francis George in the archbishop's mansion during his entire ministry. Goedert was with both men when they died and gave last rites to George.

Death
Goedert died in the United States on December 9, 2023, at the age of 96.