William Edward Koenig

William Edward Koenig (born August 17, 1956) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington in Delaware since 2021.

Early life
William Koenig was born on August 17, 1955, in Queens, New York. Koenig grew up in East Meadow, New York, attending St. Raphael’s Elementary School. Deciding to become a priest, he entered St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, New York, the minor seminary in the New York City area.

Koenig progressed to Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York, in 1975. Four years later, Koenig started studying at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York. He received a Master of Divinity degree from that seminary in 1983.

Priesthood
On May 14, 1983, Koenig was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Rockville Centre by Bishop John R. McGann at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York.

After his ordination, the diocese assigned Koenig in 1983 as parochial vicar at St. Edward the Confessor Parish in Syosset, New York. Three years later, he was transferred to Setauket, New York, to serve as parochial vicar at St. James Parish. During his time in Setauket, Koenig also worked in the Campus Ministry Program at State University at Stony Brook in Stony Brook, New York. Bishop John R. McGann named Koenig as director of vocations in 1989 and director of ministry to priests in 1990.

In 1989, Koenig became diocesan director of vocations at the cathedral residence of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York, helping in the formation of seminarians. In 1990, he also became diocesan director of ministry to priests. He held both positions for the next six years.

In 1994, Koenig obtained a Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University in New York City. In 2000, the diocese appointed him to his first position as pastor at St. William the Abbot Parish in Seaford, New York. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named Koenig as chaplain to his holiness.

Bishop William F. Murphy named Koenig as rector of St. Agnes Cathedral in 2009. He left that position in 2020 when Bishop John Barres appointed him vicar for clergy for the diocese.

Bishop of Wilmington
On April 30, 2021, Pope Francis appointed Koenig as bishop for Wilmington. Koenig was consecrated by Archbishop William E. Lori on July 13, 2021, at the Church of St. Elizabeth in Wilmington, Delaware, with Bishops Barres and W. Francis Malooly serving as co-consecrators.

Koenig was asked in 2021 if he would give Communion to President Joe Biden, who maintains a residence in Delaware. Some American prelates have said that they would refuse communion to Biden due to his support for abortion rights for women and same-sex marriage. Koenig said that he would discuss Catholic teaching with him.

On March 8, 2023, Koenig expressed his opposition to a proposed bill in the Delaware House of Representatives that would require priests to report confessions of sexual abuse crimes to police.