Edward Kmiec was born in
Trenton, New Jersey, on June 4, 1936. At age 25, Kmiec was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Trenton by Archbishop
Martin O’Connor in Rome on December 20, 1961.
Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton Pope John Paul II appointed Kmiec on August 26, 1982, as an auxiliary bishop of Trenton and titular bishop of
Simidicca. He was consecrated at the
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton, New Jersey, on November 3, 1982, by Bishop
John C. Reiss.
Bishop of Buffalo, New York On August 12, 2004, Kmiec was appointed by John Paul II as bishop of Buffalo. In August 2009, the
Buffalo News reported the removal of Monsignor Fred R. Voorhes, as administrator of St. Teresa's Parish in
South Buffalo and the subsequent dismissal of Marc J. Pasquale, as business administrator and director of religious education at St. Teresa's. Parishioners expressed in interviews their discontent with these removals. Pasquale had gone to the
Erie County District Attorney's Office prior to his dismissal to raise concerns about questionable financial practices. Kmiec was heavily criticized for downsizing the diocese from 274 parishes and missions in 2005 to 170 in 2011. He also oversaw the closures of 25 elementary schools. The diocese under Kmiec ordained only 18 priests from 2004 to 2011. Edward Kmiec died in Buffalo on July 11, 2020, at age 84. ==See also==