Robert E. Guglielmone

Robert Eric Guglielmone (born December 30, 1945) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Charleston in South Carolina from 2009 until 2022.

Early life and education
Robert Guglielmone was born on December 30, 1945, in New York City to Frank and Caroline Guglielmone. He has two brothers, Nicholas and Tito Guglielmone. The family moved to Long Island in New York when he was a child. Guglielmone graduated from a Catholic high school there in 1964. He then attended St. John's University in Queens, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in education.

Guglielmone taught business at Patchogue-Medford High School in Medford, New York, for five years while working on a graduate degree at New York University. Guglielmone entered the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York, during the 1970s, earning a Master of Divinity degree in 1977.

Priesthood
Guglielmone was ordained to the priesthood at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre by Bishop John R. McGann for the Diocese of Rockville Centre on April 8, 1978. After his ordination, Guglielmone served as assistant pastor at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Amityville, New York, and at St. James Parish in Setauket, New York. In 1986, he was named director of pastoral formation and dean of seminarians at Immaculate Conception.

Guglielmone was appointed pastor of St. Frances de Chantal Parish in Wantagh, New York, in 1993, and was raised by the Vatican to the rank of monsignor in 1996. In 2003, after the publication of a grand jury report on the handling of sexual abuse cases in the diocese, Bishop William Murphy named Guglielmone as the diocesan director of clergy personnel. He was appointed rector of St. Agnes Cathedral in 2007.

Scouting involvement
Guglielmone is known for his substantial involvement in scouting. He started his scouting career as camp chaplain at Onteora Scout Reservation in Livingston Manor, New York, during his time as a seminarian. As a priest, he served as scout chaplain for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, then for New York State and then as chaplain for the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. Guglielmone served an eight-year term as chaplain of the International Catholic Conference of Scouting and as the Vatican's global liaison to scouting programs.

Guglielmone is a member the Order of the Arrow. He was inducted as a "Vigil Honor" member in 1985. Guglielmone's vigil name is Nekama Auwen Allohumasin Lilenowag An Unt (He Who Exemplifies God's Law).

Bishop of Charleston
On January 24, 2009, Guglielmone was appointed as the 13th bishop of Charleston by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on March 25, 2009, from Cardinal Edward Egan, with Bishops Murphy and Robert Baker serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston.

Guglielmone published a list of priests, deacons, seminarians and members of religious orders within the diocese with credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors on March 29, 2019.

On August 14, 2019, Guglielmone was sued in New York State by a man claiming Guglielmone sexually abused him at age eight. The abuse allegedly took place between 1978 and 1979 at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Amityville when Guglielmone was assistant pastor there. Guglielmone denied the allegations. The Diocese of Rockville Centre investigated the allegation and found it not credible. On December 8, 2020, the Vatican concluded its own investigation and determined Guglielmone to be innocent of the charges.

Guglielmone submitted his letter of resignation as bishop of Charleston to Pope Francis in December 2020 at the mandatory age of 75. The pope did not accept his resignation at that time.

On August 9, 2021, Guglielmone temporarily suspended Reverend Wilbroad Mwape, the pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Greenville, South Carolina. A female parishioner had sued Mwape, stating he manipulated her into a sexual relationship while he was posted at Holy Trinity Parish in Orangeburg, South Carolina. In December 2021, without commenting on the allegations, Guglielmone returned Mwape to St. Anthony.

In November 2021, Guglielmone banned his priests from conducting confirmations or the anointing of the sick using the Roman Missal that predated the Second Vatican Council reforms. He also restricted the practice of the Tridentine Mass within the diocese. These steps followed the 2021 publication by Francis of Traditionis custodes, which set new rules on these liturgies.

Retirement
On February 22, 2022, Francis accepted Gugliemone's resignation as Bishop of Charleston.

Awards

 * Silver Antelope Award from Boy Scouts of America (2004) T
 * Brother Barnabas Founders Award from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (1998)
 * Silver Saint George Emblem from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (1998)
 * Silver Buffalo Award from Boy Scouts of America (2012)