Early life William Waltersheid was born in
Ashland, Pennsylvania on November 18, 1956 to William F. and Margaret M. (Deane) Waltersheid. He was a student in the Mount Carmel Area School System, then attended Holy Spirit High School in
Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. After his high school graduation, Waltersheid went to the Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing in
Pottsville, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1983. He worked in health care for the next two years. Having decided to become a priest, Waltersheid in 1985 enrolled in
St. John Seminary College in Boston, Massachusetts. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and classical languages at St. John. Waltersheid then went to Rome to the seminary at the
Pontifical North American College. In 1991, he received a
Bachelor of Theology degree from the
Pontifical Gregorian University in that city.
Priesthood Waltersheid was ordained a priest at St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg by Bishop
Nicholas Dattilo for the
Diocese of Harrisburg on July 11, 1992. After his ordination, Waltersheid returned to Rome for further studies. He was awarded a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the Gregorian University in 1993. After Waltersheid returned to Pennsylvania in 1994, the diocese assigned him as
parochial vicar at two parishes in the diocese: • St. Theresa in
New Cumberland (1994 to 1995) • Prince of Peace Parish in
Steelton (1995 to 1999) The Oversight Board of the Pontifical North American College appointed Watersheid as its director of pastoral formation in 1999, necessitating his relocation to Rome. He was promoted to vice rector of the college in 2000. Waltersheid left Rome in 2003 to return to the Diocese of Harrisburg, where he was appointed pastor at St. Patrick Parish in
Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In 2006, Bishop
Kevin C. Rhoades moved Waltersheid from St. Patrick to serve as diocesan secretary for clergy and consecrated life in Harrisburg.
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh Waltersheid was appointed auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh with the
titular see of
California by
Pope Benedict XVI on February 25, 2011. On March 11, 2011, Waltersheid was appointed as
episcopal vicar for clergy and secretary for clergy. He was consecrated by Bishop
David Zubik on April 25, 2011, at
St. Paul's Cathedral in
Pittsburgh. Waltersheid's episcopal motto is
Ecce Mater Tua (Latin for
Behold thy mother, from
John 19:27. ==See also==