Arthur Tafoya

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type =

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend

| name = Arthur Nicholas Tafoya

| honorific-suffix =

| title = Bishop of Pueblo

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| archdiocese =

| diocese = Diocese of Pueblo

| appointed = July 1, 1980

| enthroned = September 10, 1980

| ended = October 15, 2009

| predecessor = Charles Albert Buswell

| successor = Fernando Isern

| previous_post =

| other_post =

| ordination = May 12, 1962

| ordained_by = Edwin Byrne

| consecration = September 10, 1980

| consecrated_by = James Vincent Casey, Robert Fortune Sanchez, and Charles Albert Buswell

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|03|02}}

| birth_place = Alameda, New Mexico, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|03|24|1933|03|02}}

| death_place = Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

| buried =

| nationality =

| alma_mater =

| signature =

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}}

{{Infobox bishopstyles

| name= Arthur Nicholas Tafoya

| dipstyle=

| offstyle=Your Excellency

| relstyle=Bishop

| image = Mitre (plain).svg

| image_size = 200px

}}

Arthur Nicholas Tafoya (March 2, 1933 – March 24, 2018) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Pueblo in Colorado from 1980 to 2009. His resignation as bishop was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on October 15, 2009.{{cite news|date=2009-10-15|work=United States Conference of Catholic Bishops|title=Pope Names Bishops For Duluth, Minnesota; Pueblo, Colorado; Auxiliary Bishop For Providence, Rhode Island; Accepts Resignation Of Bishop Tafoya Of Pueblo, Colorado|url=http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-206E.shtml}}

Biography

Arthur Tafoya was born on March 2, 1933, in Alameda, New Mexico. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Edwin Byrne for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe on May 12, 1962.{{cite news|work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|title=Bishop Arthur Nicholas Tafoya|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/btafoya.html}}

= Bishop of Pueblo =

On July 1, 1980, Tafoya was appointed the third bishop of the Diocese of Pueblo by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on September 10, 1980, from Archbishop James Casey, with Archbishop Robert Sanchez and Bishop Charles Buswell serving as co-consecrators.

Tafoya was an early critic of the 2003 to 2011 Iraq War, calling it "an unjust war...[that] sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the lives and well-being of people in our nation and world."{{cite news|date=2003-02-15|work=United States Conference of Catholic Bishops|title=Statement of Most Rev. Arthur N. Tafoya|url=http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/peace/tafoya.shtml}} During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, he expressed his opposition to denying communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights for women, saying that it was not the only issue voters should consider.{{cite news|work=The Catholic Voice |title=Debate grows over banning of pro-choice voters from Communion |url=http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/Archives/Archive052404.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040701003458/http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/Archives/Archive052404.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2004-07-01 |last=Eckstrom |first=Kevin }}

= Retirement =

When Tafoya reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops, he submitted his letter of resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Pueblo to Benedict XVI. The pope accepted his resignation on October 15, 2009.

Arthur Tafoya died in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 24, 2018, at age 85.