Background
Biskup, George Joseph was born on August 23, 1911 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. Son of Frank L. and Julia (Kuda) K.
archbishop bishop Catholic priest
Biskup, George Joseph was born on August 23, 1911 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. Son of Frank L. and Julia (Kuda) K.
He studied at Loras College in Dubuque, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1933.
He served as Bishop of Des Moines, Iowa (1965–1967) and Archbishop of Indianapolis (1970–1979). He then furthered his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where Biskup was ordained to the priesthood on March 19, 1937. Upon his return to Iowa, he served as a curate at Saint Raphael"s Cathedral in Dubuque until 1939.
Again returning to Iowa, he was named pastor of Saint Joseph"s Church in Key West and chancellor of the Archdiocese of Dubuque in 1951.
He became vicar general of the archdiocese in 1952, and served as a chaplain at the Presentation Sisters Convent (1952–1958). On March 9, 1957, Biskup was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque and Titular Bishop of Hemeria by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 24 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Archbishop Leo Binz and Bishop Loras Thomas Lane serving as co-consecrators, at Saint Raphael"s Cathedral.
In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Dubuque from 1958 to 1965. Biskup was named the fifth Bishop of Des Moines on January 30, 1965.
In 1966 he purchased 55 acres (220,000 m2) from the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines to construct Dowling Catholic High School.
Biskup was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Titular Archbishop of Tamalluma on July 20, 1967. He was formally received into the archdiocese at Steamship Peter and Paul Cathedral on October 10, 1967, and also served as pastor of Holy Cross Church in Indianapolis. Following the resignation of Paul Clarence Schulte, Biskup succeeded him as the third Archbishop of Indianapolis on January 3, 1970.
He supported the concept of Total Catholic Education and established lay boards of education to govern parochial schools.
lieutenant was also during Biskup"s tenure that the archdiocese became nationally known for its holistic approach to Catholic education under then-superintendent of Catholic schools, the Review Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger.
After nine years as archbishop, Biskup resigned on March 20, 1979. He died seven months later at Saint Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, aged 68.
He was a member of the faculty at Loras College (1939–1948) before being called to Rome as an official of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.