Bishop Dorsey

Learn more about Bishop Dorsey's Coat of Arms.

Motto: Love is Ingenious

Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey was born Leonard James Dorsey on December 14, 1929, in Springfield, Massachusetts, the son of Leonard E. Dorsey and Mary Ann Dowd, both deceased. He has a brother and sister-in-law, Paul J. and Shirley Dorsey, of East Longmeadow, MA, and a niece, Gemma L. Dorsey, of Boston.

Leonard attended Holy Cross Seminary in Dunkirk, New York, from 1946-1948 and pronounced his vows as a Passionist with the religious name of Norbert on August 15, 1949. He studied philosophy and theology in Jamaica, New York and Union City, New Jersey, obtaining a Masters Degree in Theology before being ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Cuthbert O’Gara, CP, on April 28, 1956, at St. Michael’s Monastery in Union City. After his ordination, he studied Sacred Eloquence for a year in West Springfield before going on to study in Munich, London, and Rome. He holds the degrees of Maestro from the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, and Doctor of Sacred Theology (Summa Cum Laude) from the Gregorian University.

Upon returning to the United States, Fr. Dorsey was assigned to the Passionist monastery in West Hartford, CT, as a theology professor and the Director of Formation. Five years later, in 1965, he was elected Rector of the Monastery and Theologate in West Springfield, MA. During his term there, he organized courses in the Theology of Vatican Council II for the laity. In 1968, he was elected to the first of two terms as Provincial Consultor for the Eastern Province of the Passionists. During this time he was Director of Personnel for over 600 religious men, and also the Dean of Studies and Formation. Throughout those years, Father Dorsey was a popular preacher of parish missions and retreats for the laity, religious, and clergy throughout the United States and Canada. In 1976, while serving as an American delegate to the international General Chapter of the Passionists, Fr. Dorsey was elected Assistant General of the Passionists worldwide, and re-elected in 1982. Based in Rome, he shared the life and experience of the Church in five continents during his periodic “Visitations” to most of the 52 countries where the Passionists are established.

On January 10, 1986, Pope John Paul II nominated Fr. Dorsey Titular Bishop of Mactaris and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami. He was consecrated by Archbishop Edward J. McCarthy at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Miami on March 19, 1986. In Miami, Bishop Dorsey served as Vicar General and Executive Director of the Ministry of Persons. He also served on the boards of St. Thomas University and Barry University in Miami, and St. Leo College near Tampa.

Bishop Dorsey was installed as the third bishop of Orlando on May 25, 1990, in front of 12,000 people, at the Orlando Arena. During his episcopacy, he has established the parishes of Holy Cross , St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of Lima, and St. John the Evangelist, and the mission of St. Leo the Great in Lake Wales. He has overseen numerous construction, expansion, and renovation projects, including the building of the renewed Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine in 1993, an elementary school for Holy Redeemer Parish; Trinity High School in Ocala; and new churches at Queen of Peace, Prince of Peace , Resurrection in Winter Garden, St. Ann in DeBary, St. Mary in Rockledge, and Annunciation . He established a cemetery at San Pedro Retreat Center for priests of the diocese.

In 1997, Bishop Dorsey established a diocese-wide program of employee and volunteer fingerprinting and criminal background checks. In 2002, he instituted a policy of zero tolerance for child sexual abuse, taking a stronger stance than the USCCB, which recommended that priests who had abused only once in the past be allowed to continue in active ministry.

Under Bishop Dorsey’s direction, the diocese purchased, in 2001, most of the historic post office building in downtown Orlando, to be a new Chancery center for the growing diocesan offices. It was the second time the diocese owned the property, it having originally been purchased by Bishop Moore in 1881 and eventually the site of Orlando’s first Catholic school, but later sold during the Depression out of financial necessity. The 2001 purchase placed the diocesan offices right next door to the Cathedral of St. James.

Pope John Paul II accepted Bishop Dorsey's letter of retirement on November 13, 2004.

The Bishop speaks several languages, including Spanish, Italian, French, and Creole.

His motto is “Love is Ingenious.” This is taken from the Rule of the Passionist Congregation, written by St. Paul of the Cross. The full text reads: “The love of God is very ingenious and is proved not so much by words, as by the deeds and actions of the lovers.”

Time Line:

Attended Seminary (1946-1948)

Pronounced vows as Passionist (1949)

Studies in New York and New Jersey (1949-1956)

Ordained Priest (1956)

Studies in Europe (1957-1960)

Director of Formation at Passionist Monastery in CT (1960-1965)

Rector of Monastery and Theologate in West Springfield (1965-1968)

Provincial Consultor for the Eastern Province of Passionists (1968-1974)

Executive Assistant to the Provincial; Provincial Secretary (1974-1976)

Assistant General of worldwide order of Passionists (1976-1986)

Auxiliary Bishop of Miami (1986-1990)

Bishop of Orlando (1990-present)

Activities and Memberships:

Board of Barry University in Miami

Board of St. Thomas University

Board of St. John Vianney Seminary

Board of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary

Board of St. Leo College

Board of Barry University in Orlando

Episcopal Liaison for the Holy Childhood Association

Chairman of Region IV, National Conference of Catholic Bishops

Chairman of the Board, Pontifical Irish College (PICUS), Rome , Italy

NCCB Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry

NCCB Committee on Liturgy

NCCB Committee on Missions

NCCB Committee on Doctrine

NCCB Committee on Priestly Formation

NCCB Committee on Campaign for Human Development

NCCB Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs

Committee of Catholic-Jewish Relations

Chairman of the NCCJ Interfaith Council

Orlando Area Interfaith Sponsoring Committee

Tri-County Human Needs Assessment Committee

Florida State Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, 1998-2001

National Chaplain of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, 1998-2002

Catholic Theological Society of America

Musicological Society of America

Catholic Poetry Society of America

National Catholic Educational Association

Noted Events in Bishop Dorsey’s Ministry:

Grammar School:
1934-42 Holy Name Grammar

High School:
1942-46 Cathedral High School

Seminary:
1946-48 Holy Cross Seminary, Dunkirk, NY

College:
1949-56 Jamaica, NY (Philosophy) & Union City, NJ ( Theology and Regular CP Studies)

Other Studies

1957-60 Rome, Italy (Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, Gregorian University)
1958 London, England
1959 Munich, Germany
1984-86 Rome, Gregorian University

Degrees:

• MA Theology - St. Michael’s, Union City, NJ
• M Sac Mus – Rome
• STD “Summa Cum Laude” – Rome

Publications

1960 The Singing of the Passion in the Roman Liturgy (Thesis, Rome)
1960 Included in “The Invitation to the City,” Poetry Anthology, Ed J. G. Brunini
1986 Pierre Toussaint of New York, Slave and Freeman: A Study of Lay Spirituality in Times of Ecclesiastical and Social Change (Thesis, Rome)

Citations:

• Knight Commander, Order of the Holy Sepulchre (KCHS) – for work on behalf of the Near East Refugees, 1978
• Peace and Unity Award, St. Martin Porres Association, Miami, FL “for building bridges of harmony between races and cultures,” – 1989
• Appreciation Award, National Council of Christians and Jews, Interfaith Council, Miami, FL – 1990
• Founding President Award, National Council of Christians and Jews, Orlando Chapter - 1991 – 1993
• The Pierre Toussaint Medallion, Office of Black Ministry, Archdiocese of New York, presented in ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral by John Cardinal O’Conner, for “special merit in the service of freedom, human rights, and spiritual values in the Black Community,” May 5th, 1996
• Appreciation Award, Ancient Order of Hibernians – 2001
• Honorary Chaplain to Orange County Sheriff's Office - 2004

Memberships in Church/Civil Societies:

• Florida State Chaplain, Knights of Columbus, 1998-2001
• National Chaplain, Ancient Order of Hibernians, 1998-2002
• Episcopal Liaison, Holy Childhood Association
• CTSA – Catholic Theological Society of America
• Musicological Society of America
• Catholic Poetry Society of America
• National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
• Twice Chairman of the Orlando Interfaith Clergy Conference
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) Committees:
  • Doctrine
  • Priestly Life & Ministry
  • Missions
  • Liturgy
  • Priestly Formation
  • Campaign for Human Development
  • Bishop’s Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs

Ministry:

1960-1965 Director of Formation
1960-1956 Teacher
1960-1986 Preaching Ministry: Parish Missions & Retreats to Laity, Religious and Clergy
1965-1968 Rector
1968-1974 Provincial Consultor
1968-1974 Provincial Dean of Studies and Formation
1968-1974 Provincial Director of Personnel
1974-1976 Executive Assistant to the Provincial
1974-1976 Provincial Secretary
1974-1976 U.S. Regional Secretary, STAUROS (Louvain)
1976-1986 General Consultor
1986 Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Miami, FL – March 19, 1986
1990 Installed Bishop of Orlando, FL - May 25, 1990
2004 Retired - November 13, 2004

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1800
Orlando, Florida 32802-1800
Telephone: 407-246-4818
Fax: 407-246-4827