Walter P. Kellenberg

Walter Philip Kellenberg (June 3, 1901 – January 11, 1986) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island, New York, from 1957 to 1976.

Kellenberg previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Ogdensburg in Northern New York from 1954 to 1957 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from later 1953 to early 1954.

Early life
Walter Kellenberg was born on June 3, 1901, in the Bronx, New York, to Conrad and Elizabeth (née Kern) Kellenberg. He had two brothers and two sisters. Walter Kellenbergy received his early education at the parochial school of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in the Bronx. He then attended Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx, graduating there in 1919. Deciding to become a priest, he then entered Cathedral College in Queens, New York.

Kellenberg continued his preparation for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York. He also took courses in real estate, insurance, and business administration at Columbia University in Manhattan.

Priesthood
Kellenberg was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New York at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan on June 2, 1928 by Cardinal Patrick Hayes. After his 1928 ordination, the archdiocese assigned Kellenberg as curate at St. Mary's Parish in the Rosebank neighborhood of Staten Island, New York.

In 1934, he was transferred to St. Paul's Parish in Manhattan and appointed to the archdiocesan curia. Within a year, Kellenberg became a curate at St. Patrick's Cathedral Parish, and was named assistant chancellor and secretary of the archdiocesan Commission for Real Estate and Insurance in 1939.

Kellenberg became temporary administrator of St. John the Baptist Parish in Staten Island. and St. Nicholas Parish in Manhattan, and was named vice-chancellor in 1942. He was named a papal chamberlain in 1943, and served as secretary to Cardinal Francis Spellman from 1947 to 1950. He was also named chancellor of the archdiocese in 1947. The Vatican elevated Kellenberg to the rank of domestic prelate in 1948 and the archdiocese named him moderator of the coordinating committee of the Catholic Lay Organization in 1951.

Auxiliary Bishop of New York
On August 25, 1953, Kellenberg was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of New York and titular bishop of Ioannina by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on October 5, 1953 at St. Patrick's Cathedral from Cardinal James McIntyre, with Bishops William Scully and Joseph Flannelly serving as co-consecrators.

Bishop of Ogdensburg
After only three months as auxiliary bishop in New York, Pius XII named Kellenberg as the sixth bishop of Ogdensburg on January 19, 1954. That same year, Kellenberg received an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from Fordham University in the Bronx. In Ogdensburg he, expanded the Departments of Education and Catechetics and opened new parochial schools. He also created catechism classes for Catholic students going to public schools and established a youth ministry. He also led Marian rallies and processions in the diocese.

Bishop of Rockville Centre
Kellenberg remained in Ogdensburg for three years, until Pius XII appointed him as the first bishop of Rockville Centre on April 16, 1957. He founded the diocesan chapter of Catholic Charities that same year.

In 1958, Kellenberg dedicated the first permanent buildings for the Molloy College for Women in Rockville Centre.

On April 12, 1959, at Mitchel Air Force Base in Long Island, New York, Kellenberg dedicated the medal of Our Lady of Loreto, the patron saint of air travelers and pilots .From 1962 to 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome. Three colleges, eighteen high schools and a number of parish schools were established during his tenure.

Retirement and legacy
Shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Kellenberg resigned as bishop on May 3, 1976. Kellenberg died on January 11, 1986, from a cardiac arrest at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre at age 84.


 * Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, New York is named in his honor.
 * A stained glass window in St. Boniface Church in Elmont, New York depicts Pope John XXIII welcoming Kellenberg to the council.
 * Kellenberg's coat of arms appears in the stained glass window of the formal lounge in Queen's Court on Fordham's Rose Hill Campus.
 * The Hicksville Knights of Columbus Council 728 is named in honor of Kellenberg.

Discrimination
In 1963, Kellenberg called from greater understanding among people, saying it was a remedy for discrimination. He stated, "Only equal opportunity for all can make the American dream of justice a reality for our citizens."