Charles C. Thompson

{{Infobox Christian leader

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend

| name = Charles Coleman Thompson

| honorific-suffix =

| bishop_of = Archbishop of Indianapolis

| image = Most. Rev. Charles Coleman Thompson.jpg

| caption =

| province =

| appointed = June 13, 2017

| enthroned = July 28, 2017

| retired =

| predecessor = Joseph W. Tobin

| successor =

| ordination = May 30, 1987

| ordained_by = Thomas C. Kelly

| consecration = June 29, 2011

| consecrated_by = Joseph Edward Kurtz, Daniel M. Buechlein, Thomas C. Kelly, and Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger

| other_post =

| previous_post = Diocese of Evansville
2011 - 2017

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|4|11}}

| birth_place = Louisville, Kentucky, USA

| death_date =

| death_place =

| buried =

| nationality =

| religion = Catholic Church

| residence =

| parents =

| spouse =

| children =

| occupation =

| profession =

| alma_mater =

| coat_of_arms =

| motto = Christ the cornerstone

| signature =

| see = Archdiocese of Indianapolis

| education = Bellarmine University
Saint Meinrad School of Theology
St. Paul University

}}

{{Infobox bishopstyles

| name= Charles Coleman Thompson

| dipstyle=

| offstyle=Your Excellency

| relstyle=Archbishop

| image = Coat of arms of Charles Coleman Thompson (Indianapolis).svg

| image_size = 200px

}}

{{Ordination

| consecrated by = Joseph Edward Kurtz

| date of consecration = June 29, 2011

| bishop 1 = Robert John McClory

| consecration date 1 = February 11, 2020

}}

Charles Coleman Thompson (born April 11, 1961) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Indianapolis since 2017. He previously served as Bishop of Evansville from 2011 to 2017.

Career

= Early life =

Charles Thompson was born on April 11, 1961, in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Bellarmine College in Louisville, graduating with a Bachelor of Accounting degree. Thompson earned a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana and a Licentiate of Canon Law at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario.

= Priesthood =

On May 30, 1987, Thompson was ordained into the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Louisville by Archbishop Thomas Kelly.{{Cite web|title=Archbishop Charles Coleman Thompson [Catholic-Hierarchy]|url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bthompc.html|access-date=2022-01-10|website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} After his ordination, Thompson served until 1990 as associate pastor at St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral Parish and as chaplain at Bethlehem High School, both in Bardstown, Kentucky. In 1992, he resumed work part-time as an associate pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Louisville. In 1993, Thompson was named metropolitan vicar and director of tribunals for the diocese. He administered St. Peter Claver Parish in Louisville from 1994 to 1996 and also served as a chaplain for the Presentation Academy in Louisville from 1995 to 1997.

In 1996, Thompson was assigned as pastor at St. Augustine Parish in Lebanon, Kentucky. He was named defender of the bond and judge of the Diocesan Tribunal in 1998. Thompson was appointed pastor in 2002 of Holy Trinity Parish and chaplain of Sacred Heart Academy, both in Louisville. In addition to his pastoral work at Holy Trinity, Thompson was appointed vicar general in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.themessageonline.org/thompson.html|title=Pope names Louisville, Kentucky vicar general to succeed Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger of Evansville, Indiana|work=The Message Online|date=April 26, 2011|accessdate=April 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094456/http://www.themessageonline.org/thompson.html|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}

=Bishop of Evansville=

File:Coat of arms of Charles Coleman Thompson.svg

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Thompson as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Evansville on April 26, 2011. He was consecrated by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz on June 29, 2011, at Roberts Municipal Stadium in Evansville.{{cite web|url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/jun/28/no-headline---ordination/|title=Catholic Church turns to tradition in installation of new bishop|publisher=Evansville Courier & Press (June 28, 2011)|accessdate=July 5, 2011|last=Corrigan|first=Sara Anne|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701134900/http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/jun/28/no-headline---ordination/|archive-date=July 1, 2011|url-status=dead}} The co-consecrators were Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, and Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger.

=Archbishop of Indianapolis=

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Pope Francis appointed Thompson as archbishop of Indianapolis on June 13, 2017.{{cite news | accessdate = June 13, 2017 | url = http://www.startribune.com/pope-names-thompson-indianapolis-archbishop/428136533/ | agency = Associated Press | date = June 13, 2017 | work = Star Tribune | title = Pope names Thompson Indianapolis archbishop | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170728160429/http://www.startribune.com/pope-names-thompson-indianapolis-archbishop/428136533/ | archive-date = July 28, 2017 | url-status = dead }} He was installed on July 28, 2017.{{cite news | accessdate = August 18, 2017 | url = http://www.indystar.com/picture-gallery/news/2017/07/28/archbishop-of-indianapolis-charles-c-thompson-is-installed/104085570/ | date = July 28, 2017 | title = Archbishop of Indianapolis Charles C. Thompson is installed | work = IndyStar}} Thompson was the youngest American archbishop at the time of his installation.{{cite news|work=The Indianapolis Star|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/06/13/evansville-bishop-lead-indianapolis-archdiocese/391680001/|access-date=June 23, 2017|date=June 13, 2017|title=Evansville bishop ready for 'daunting task' of following Tobin as Indy's archbishop|last1=King|first1=Robert|last2=Ryckaert|first2=Vic}}

Soon after his installation, Thompson ordered three Catholic high schools in Indianapolis to terminate three employees who had entered into same-sex marriages.

Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in early 2019 refused to fire Layton Payne-Elliot, a male teacher who married Joshua Payne-Elliot in 2017. After negotiating attempts with Brebeuf failed, Thompson suspended the Catholic status of the school in June 2019. Brebeuf appealed his decision to the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, which in April 2020 temporarily rescinded Thompson's order.{{Cite web|last=Herron|first=Arika|title=Vatican temporarily suspends Indianapolis archbishop's decision on Brebeuf Jesuit|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2019/09/23/brebeuf-jesuit-vatican-temporarily-suspends-indianapolis-archdiocese-suspension-over-gay-teacher/2421202001/|access-date=2020-04-12|website=Indianapolis Star|language=en}} The Vatican then assigned Cardinal Joseph Tobin to mediate the dispute. The Indiana Supreme Court in August 2022 upheld the right of the archdiocese to fire Layton Payne-Elliot.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-31 |title=Indiana Supreme Court backs archdiocese over same-sex marriage firing, Vatican case lingers |url=https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/indiana-supreme-court-backs-archdiocese |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=The Pillar |language=en}}

Roncalli High School fired two guidance counselors, Shelly Fitzgerald and Lynn Starkey, both of whom had married other women. Fitzgerald and Starkey sued the archdiocese and Thompson in separate cases, alleging discrimination and retaliation.{{Cite web|last=Herron|first=Arika|title=Shelly Fitzgerald, first gay guidance counselor suspended by Roncalli, files federal suit|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2019/10/22/shelly-fitzgerald-fired-roncalli-high-school-files-federal-lawsuit/4062141002/|access-date=2020-04-12|website=Indianapolis Star|language=en}} In August 2021, the US Southern District of Indiana dismissed the Starkey lawsuit.{{Cite web|last=CNA|title=Federal court dismisses lawsuit against archdiocese|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248659/federal-court-dismisses-lawsuit-against-indianapolis-archdiocese|access-date=2022-01-10|website=Catholic News Agency|language=en}}

Cathedral High School fired Joshua Payne-Elliot, a teacher who married Layton Payne-Elliot in 2017. In a statement, Cathedral said that defying the archbishop could have meant losing its non-profit tax status.{{Cite web|title=Cathedral High School terminates gay teacher to stay in Indianapolis Archdiocese|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2019/06/23/cathedral-high-school-indianapolis-archdiocese-fires-gay-teacher/1543384001/}}{{Cite web|title=To save its 'Catholic identity,' Indianapolis' Cathedral High School is firing a gay teacher|website=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2019/06/23/indianapolis-catholic-school-fires-gay-teacher-archdiocese/1543989001/}} Joshua Payne-Elliot sued the archdiocese, but the case was dismissed in Marion County Superior Court in May 2021.{{Cite web|last=Weddle|first=Eric|date=2021-05-20|title=Former Cathedral High School Teacher Appeals Dismissed Lawsuit Against Indianapolis Archdiocese|url=https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/former-cathedral-high-school-teacher-appeals-dismissed-lawsuit-against-indianapolis-archdiocese|access-date=2022-01-10|website=WFYI Public Media|language=en-us}}