Robert William Muench (born December 28, 1942) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Muench served as bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in Louisiana from 2002 to 2018. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Covington in Kentucky from 1996 to 2002 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in Louisiana from 1990 to 1996.
Biography
Early life
Robert Muench was born on December 28, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, to William Anthony and Mary Kathryn (née Allgeier) Muench; he has three sisters, Jo Ann, Mary Alice, and Marsha. When he was age three, the family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. Muench attended Jefferson Davis and St. Leo the Great primary schools in New Orleans.[1]
On May 18, 1968, Muench was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Philip Hannan for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.[2] After his ordination, Muench joined the faculty of St. John Vianney Preparatory School in New Orleans He worked there until 1977, serving as religion teacher, liturgy director, guidance counselor, and eventually rector. Muench also assisted at various parishes in New Orleans. In 1976, he became associate pastor of St. Matthias Parish in New Orleans, later becoming pastor.[1]
In 1977, Muench also became the vicar for Christian formation, but was moved in 1981 to director of vocations. In 1983, he was named director of the Pope John XXIII House for Vocation Discernment and executive assistant to Archbishop Hannan. After being named by the Vatican as an honorary prelate of his holiness in 1985, Muench was named by the archbishop as vicar general (1989) and moderator of the curia (1990) for the archdiocese.[1]
On January 5, 1996, John Paul II appointed Muench as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Covington. He was installed on March 19, 1995, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky.[1]
On December 15, 2001, John Paul II appointed Muench as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge . He was installed at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge on March 14, 2002, with Archbishop Alfred Hughes presiding. Muench also served on the board of trustees of Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and Saint Joseph Seminary College.[1]
On November 12, 2004, the Diocese of Baton Rouge settled a sexual abuse lawsuit brought by a Baton Rouge man. The plaintiff claimed that the late Bishop Joseph Sullivan had abused him when the man was 17 years old in 1975. Muench authorized the settlement, calling the accusations credible. He promised to rename the Bishop Sullivan High School before the next school term. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Muench joined Hughes and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco in a televised appearance declaring a day of prayer for the state of Louisiana.[4]
On June 26, 2018, Pope Francis accepted Muench's letter of resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge after Muench reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
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