His Excellency Bishop Daniel Dolan RIP
His Excellency Bishop Daniel Lytle Dolan (May 28, 1951 - April 26, 2022) was a prominent figure in the sedevacantist traditionalist Catholic movement. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he began his journey towards the priesthood in 1965 at the archdiocesan minor seminary in Detroit. He continued his studies in the Cistercian Order and at the seminary of the Society of Saint Pius X in Ecône, Switzerland, where he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre on June 29, 1976.
During his time as a seminarian in Ecône, Bishop Dolan came to the conviction that the New Mass and the teachings of the Second Vatican Council were heretical. He believed that Pope Paul VI, due to alleged personal heresy, had lost the Roman pontificate, leading him to adopt the position of sedevacantism, which holds that the papal throne is vacant due to the alleged invalidity of recent popes. This belief remained with him throughout his life, including regarding Pope Paul VI and his successors.
In the early years following his return to the United States in 1977, Bishop Dolan founded over 35 traditionalist Mass centers across the country, spreading his deeply held beliefs and providing traditional Catholic liturgy to those who shared his views.
In 1983, when Archbishop Lefebvre directed the priests of the Society of Saint Pius X to follow the liturgical books of 1962 and affirm their allegiance to Pope John Paul II, Bishop Dolan and eight other priests refused to comply, leading to their expulsion from the society. These priests then formed the Society of Saint Pius V.
Bishop Dolan continued his pastoral work, focusing primarily on his principal church in West Chester, Ohio. In 1989 he initiated contact with the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen, and through subsequent discussions, they found agreement on major theological issues. On November 30, 1993, Bishop Mark Pivarunas, a Thuc Line Bishop of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen, consecrated Father Dolan as a bishop.
As a bishop, Daniel Dolan served not only in his church in Cincinnati but also in various sedevacantist communities across the United States, Mexico, and Europe. He dedicated his life to preaching and maintaining traditional Catholic practices according to his sedevacantist beliefs.
Bishop Daniel Lytle Dolan was a greatly respected and influential figure in the sedevacantist movement, known for his unwavering commitment to traditional Catholicism and his fervent belief in the vacancy of the papal throne. His Excellency passed away on April 26, 2022. May he rest in peace.
Courses featuring His Excellency, Bishop Daniel Dolan:
Back to Basics
Devotions with Bishop Dolan
The Root of the Rot
Clerical Conversations
