Joseph Fred Naumann

Joseph Naumann was born on June 4, 1949, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Fred and Louise (née Lukens) Naumann. He graduated from St. Louis Preparatory Seminary South in St. Louis in 1967 and from Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis in 1971. He then served as a deacon at a parish in Florissant, Missouri, and completed his theological studies at Kenrick Seminary in Shrewsbury, Missouri.

Naumann was ordained to the priesthood on May 24, 1975, for the Archdiocese of St. Louis by Cardinal John Carberry. After his ordination, he was assigned as an associate pastor of St. Dominic Savio Parish in Affton, Missouri. Naumann was transferred in 1979 to become associate pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in St. Louis.

In 1984, Naumann was placed as a part-time curate at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish in St. Louis, while working as coordinator of the pro-life committee for the archdiocese. Naumann was sent in 1989 to Ascension Parish in Normandy, Missouri, remaining there for the next five years. He was named vicar general of the archdiocese in 1994.

On July 8, 1997, Naumann was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and titular bishop of Caput Cilla by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on September 3, 1997, from Archbishop Justin Rigali, with Bishops Edward O'Donnell and Edward Braxton serving as co-consecrators. As auxiliary bishop, Naumann continued in his role as vicar general. He was named as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese in October 2003.

John Paul II named Naumann as the coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, on January 7, 2004, serving under Archbishop James Keleher. When Keleher resigned as archbishop on January 15, 2005, Naumann automatically succeeded him.

Naumann sits on the committees on Pro-Life and on Communications within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as well as the Kenrick-Glennon Seminary Board of Trustees and the board of regents for Conception Seminary. He is also chair of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

On April 21, 2015, Naumann was also appointed apostolic administrator for the Diocese of Kansas City–Saint Joseph.{{Cite web |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2015/04/22/0299/00659.html |title=Rinunce e nomine |date=21 April 2015 |access-date=21 April 2015 |website=press.vatican.va}} He served in this role until November 4, 2015, when James Johnston Jr. was installed as bishop there.

Naumann was elected chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities on November 14, 2017, defeating by a narrow margin Cardinal Blase Cupich.[http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/archbishop-joseph-naumann-elected-head-of-bishops-pro-life-committee Archbishop Joseph Naumann Elected Head of Bishops' Pro-Life Committee, National Catholic Register, 14 November 2017] Naumann interprets Canon 915 as directing priests to deny communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights and euthanasia. He stated that he tried to persuade Kathleen Sebelius, then Governor of Kansas, to change her stand on abortion, and after her refusal in doing so, he denied her communion.[https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/archbishop-naumann-no-communion-for-governor-sebelius/ Archbishop Naumann: No Communion for Governor Sebelius, Catholic Culture, 12 May 2008] Naumann's archdiocese later spent $2.45 million in support of an ill-fated proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution to remove its protection of abortion rights, which was defeated by a 59 to 41% margin.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/08/05/catholics-kansas-abortion-vote/ Catholic bishops spent big on Kansas abortion vote — and maybe lost bigger August 5, 2022]

After sexual abuse allegations were made against Bishop John Brungardt of the Diocese of Dodge City in February 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome directed Naumann to open a canonical preliminary investigation into them.{{Cite web|last=Leaven|first=The|date=2021-02-08|title=Archbishop Naumann to head abuse allegation investigation|url=http://theleaven.org/archbishop-naumann-to-head-abuse-allegation-investigation/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=The Leaven Catholic Newspaper|language=en-US}} In March 2022, Naumann announced that the investigation had exonerated Brungardt.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Brungardt to resume duties after abuse investigation |url=https://www.gbtribune.com/news/local-news/bishop-brungardt-resume-duties-after-abuse-investigation/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=www.gbtribune.com}}

On April 8, 2025, Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop.{{cite news |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/04/08/250408a.html |title=Resignations and Appointments, 08.04.2025 |accessdate=April 8, 2025}}

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• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

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• [https://www.archkck.org/ Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas]

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Category:1949 births

Category:Living people

Category:Clergy from St. Louis

Category:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis

Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States

Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United States

Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Kansas City in Kansas

Category:American anti-abortion activists

Category:Religious leaders from Missouri