Joel Matthias Konzen

Styles of
**Joel Matthias Konzen**
Styles of; Joel Matthias Konzen
Reference style	His Excellency; The Most Reverend;
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

The Most Reverend

Joel Matthias Konzen
The Most Reverend; Joel Matthias Konzen
Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta
Archdiocese	Atlanta
Appointed	February 5, 2018
Installed	April 3, 2018
Orders
Ordination	May 19, 1979
Consecration	April 3, 2018; by Wilton Daniel Gregory, Bernard Shlesinger, and Thomas John Rodi
Personal details
Born	November 6, 1950 (age 72); Oak Harbor, Ohio, US
Education	St. Meinrad Seminary
Motto	MISERERE GAUDENS (Be merciful, and with a cheerful heart)
Coat of arms

Joel Matthias Konzen (born November 6, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Atlanta since 2018.

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

Joel Konzen was born November 6, 1950 in Toledo, Ohio, and grew up in Oak Harbor, Ohio. He took his first vows as a Marist in 1975. He took perpetual vows in the Society of Mary, and was ordained a deacon in 1978.

Konzen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana, and a Master of Divinity degree from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He also holds a Master of Theology degree in systematic theology and a Master of Arts degree in educational administration from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Priesthood[edit]

On May 19, 1979, Konzen was ordained to the priesthood.

Konzen took his first position at Marist School in Atlanta in 1980, where he remained for nine years in roles as teacher, admissions director, principal and president. While a graduate student at The Catholic University of America, he served as vicar provincial of the former Washington Province of the Society of Mary. From 1992 to 1997, Konzen was principal and president at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy in Austin, Texas. In 1997, he returned to Washington, D.C., where he was vicar provincial again for two years.

Konzen returned to Marist School in Atlanta in 1999, where he has since served as principal and had recently been named President. He assisted in the founding of two new Catholic schools in Atlanta: Notre Dame Academy and Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School. Konzen currently serves on the boards of Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy in Pontiac, Michigan; Notre Dame Academy in Duluth. Minnesota; Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School; and the Georgia Independent School Association. In 2015, he received the Educational Excellence Award of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

In addition to his time at Marist School in Atlanta, Konzen taught at St. Peter Chanel High School in Bedford, Ohio (1976–1977), served as a deacon at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in New Orleans (1978–1979) and as a priest at St. Edmond Parish in Lafayette, Louisiana. (1979–1980). He served as principal/president at St. Michael’s Academy in Austin,Texas, from 1992–1997.

Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta[edit]

Pope Francis appointed Konzen auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Atlanta on February 5, 2018.^[1]^[2] On April 3, 2018, Konzen was consecrated at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta

On May 24, 2019, after the installation of Archbishop Wilton Gregory as the Archbishop of Washington, the college of consultors elected Konzen as the administrator of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Konzen's administrator responsibilities ended on May 6, 2020 with the installation of then Bishop Gregory Hartmayer as the new Archbishop of Atlanta.

Coat of Arms[edit]

For Konzen the shield is silver (white) with a blue pile (an "A" shaped device) upon which is displayed the conjoined "A" and "M," known an "the monogram of Mary," in silver (white) that is the emblem of the Society of Mary. The pile resembles an inlet of water, such as a bay or harbor, and this pile is charged with a gold (yellow) oak leaf to signify Oak Harbor, Ohio, Konzen's home town. Above the pile are an open book (gold [yellow] with red edges) and a red cross o signify that Konzen has spent most of his life in education, in a Catholic environment, including his last position, before becoming a bishop, as president of the Marist School.

For his episcopal motto, Konzen adopted the Latin phrase "Miserere gaudens," taken from Romans:12. This passage can be paraphrased as "Be merciful, and with a cheerful heart."

References[edit]

^ "Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta". Retrieved February 5, 2018.
^ "Appointment of the Reverend Joel M. Konzen, S.M., as Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta". Retrieved February 5, 2018.

External links[edit]

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta Official Site

Episcopal succession[edit]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta 2018–Present	Succeeded by –

[1] "Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta". Retrieved February 5, 2018.

[2] "Appointment of the Reverend Joel M. Konzen, S.M., as Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta". Retrieved February 5, 2018.

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v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Ordinaries	Bishop Francis Edward Hyland Archbishops Paul John Hallinan Thomas Andrew Donnellan Eugene Antonio Marino James Patterson Lyke John Francis Donoghue Wilton Daniel Gregory Gregory John Hartmayer Auxiliary Bishops Joseph Bernardin Luis Rafael Zarama David Talley Bernard Shlesinger Joel Matthias Konzen
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the King
Education	High Schools Blessed Trinity Catholic High School, Roswell Holy Spirit Preparatory School, Atlanta and Sandy Springs Marist School, Brookhaven Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School, Athens Notre Dame Academy, Duluth Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School, Fayetteville Pinecrest Academy, Cumming St. Pius X Catholic High School