Archbishop Emeritus and Jasper native Daniel Buechlein has passed away. Officials with the Saint Meinrad Archabbey confirmed earlier today that Buechlein passed away early this morning at the archabbey infirmary. He was 79 year old.
Buechlein was born in Jasper to Carl and Rose Buechlein, and made his solemn profession as a Benedictine monk on August 15, 1963.
He was ordained to the priesthood on May 3, 1964, at St. Meinrad Archabbey. In August 1971 he was named President-Rector of the Saint Meinrad School of Theology. He assumed the post of President-Rector of Saint Meinrad College, in addition to his other duties, in 1982.
On January 20, 1987, Buechlein was appointed the third Bishop of Memphis, Tennessee, by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the March 2, 1987 from Archbishop Thomas Cajetan Kelly, OP, with Archbishops James Stafford and Edward O’Meara serving as co-consecrators. Buechlein was installed as the Memphis ordinary on the same day.
He returned to Indiana upon being named the fifth Archbishop of Indianapolis on July 14, 1992; Buechlein was installed as such by Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan on September 9, 1992. In 1995 he was appointed Co-moderator of the Disciples of Christ-Roman Catholic International Dialogue and as a consultor to the Congregation for the Clergy in the Roman Curia in 2003.
On January 18, 2008, Buechlein was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, more commonly known as Hodgkin’s disease. In June of that same year, Buechlein announced that his cancer was in remission and his regular routine would resume in August. In March 2011 he suffered a small stroke and was admitted to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.
Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation in September of that year for reasons of health, because of the stroke and the cancer he had been suffering.
After his resignation, Archbishop Buechlein returned to the Benedictine monastic community at St. Meinrad Archabbey.
He wrote a weekly column entitled Seeking the Face of the Lord for the official archdiocesan newspaper.
Funeral arrangements will be soon be announced by the Saint Meinrad Archabbey.