The Most Reverend Lawrence E. Brandt, JCD, PhD

The Most Reverend Lawrence E. Brandt, JCD, PhD, Bishop Emeritus, who led the Diocese of Greensburg through a series of major changes as its Fourth Bishop, died June 8, 2025 on the Solemnity of Pentecost. He was 86 years old.

Born March 27, 1939 in Charleston, West Virginia, Lawrence Eugene Brandt was the son of Lawrence E. and Priscilla I. (Purdy) Brandt. When he was 10 years of age, his parents moved to Lake City, Pennsylvania, near Erie. He was one of three children along with Mrs. Marilyn Brandt Love of Cypress, California, and Mrs. Dolores Brandt Fusco of Long Island, New York. He attended grade school at St. John's Parochial School in Girard, Pennsylvania and high school and college at the Pontifical College Josephinum, Worthington, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Innsbruck, Austria with the PhD in philosophy in 1966. He also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, France and the University of Florence, Italy, continuing his theological students at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome with residence at the North American College. He was ordained a priest on December 19, 1969 in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. Subsequently he celebrated his First Mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. Upon returning to the United States, he celebrated his First Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving in his home parish of St. John the Evangelist in Girard, Pennsylvania on July 19, 1970. He concluded doctoral studies in canon law at the Lateran University in Rome, earning a J.C.D. degree Summa Cum Laude in 1983.

He graduated from the Holy See's school for diplomats in Rome, the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, and was subsequently posted in 1973 in the Vatican diplomatic service to the Papal Nunciature (Vatican Embassy) in Tananarive, Madagascar, and later to the Nunciatures in Bonn, Germany, Quito, Ecuador, and Algiers, Algeria. He was named Chaplain of His Holiness with the title Monsignor by Pope Paul VI in 1974. He was decorated in 1977 by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Walter Scheel, with the Federal Cross of Merit First Class for his role in negotiating an accord between the Holy See and the Federal Republic of Germany.

In all of his diplomatic postings, Monsignor Brandt was also active in pastoral work aside from his duties at the Nunciatures. He was appointed Pastor of the Anglo-American Parish in Tananarive, Madagascar by Cardinal Rakotomalala, Archbishop of Tananarive in 1973, and also named Pastor of the Italian Parish in Algiers by Cardinal Duval, Archbishop of Algiers in 1979. In Quito, Ecuador, he served the American Catholic Community there and while in Bonn, Germany he did weekend ministry on two American Army bases near Frankfurt.

He left the Vatican diplomatic service in 1983 to take care of his widowed mother, Priscilla. She lived with him subsequently in all his diocesan appointments until she died at 108 years in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, on April 4, 2016.

Returning to the Diocese of Erie, Monsignor Brandt was appointed Assistant Chancellor and resident chaplain at the Gannondale Residential Center for Girls, a rehabilitation facility for adolescents, where he also served on its Advisory Board. He was named Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese in 1984.

In 1984 he was also appointed as Personal Representative of the Bishop to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and served on its Executive Committee and Administrative Board, and from 1987 to 2004 on its Personnel Committee, during which he was elected by the Bishops of Pennsylvania as Vice President of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference for three successive terms from 1987-1993, the highest elective office in the Conference. He then served as Acting President of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference in May 1989-January 1990.

In order to celebrate in 1989, the bicentennial of the First Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing religious freedom in the United States, the Pennsylvania Bishops decided to sponsor an academic forum on the subject featuring leading experts in the field. The Pennsylvania Bishops designated Monsignor Brandt to organize the event and to raise the necessary funds to finance it. Notable persons were in attendance, including the Governor of Pennsylvania Robert Casey, Sr. and the Vatican Ambassador to the United States Papal Nuncio Archbishop Pio Lahgi. After the conclusion of the event, a surplus of $30,000 was allocated to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference's legislative effort on behalf of school choice.

Monsignor Brandt was appointed diocesan representative to the Pennsylvania Conference on Interchurch Cooperation, the state-wide ecumenical body, on September 24, 1990.

He was named Chancellor of the Diocese of Erie, January 1, 1991 and member of the Administrative Cabinet of the Diocese. He became a member of the Priest Retirement Board in 1991. He was named to the Board of Members, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Erie in 1992. He served also as Promoter of Justice and Defender of the Bond in the Diocesan Tribunal. On October 16, 1995 he was appointed chaplain to the Saint Thomas More Society, a Catholic lawyers guild.

On October 17, 1998 he was appointed parish priest at St. Hedwig Parish in Erie's East Side, while retaining his other responsibilities. In 2002 he was named Chairman of the Diocesan Sesquicentennial Committee and charged with organizing this celebration throughout the Diocese also in all its parishes.

Monsignor Brandt served as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Gannon University from 1985-1995, a member of the Board's Nominating Committee from 1985 – 1995, and Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee from 1990-1995. He served also on the Executive Committee of the Board and on the Presidential Evaluation Committee. He chaired the Presidential Search Committee and directed the process which led to the appointment of Dr. Antoine Garibaldi, as Gannon University's sixth President in 2001.

Monsignor Brandt was named a member of the Board of Corporators of the Saint Vincent Foundation for Health and Human Services on October 20, 1986. He also served as a Member of the Board of Regents of Saint Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1991, where he served on the Board's Planning Committee and chaired its Academic Affairs Committee.

Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor on November 12, 1991.

He was named an evaluator for Colleges and Universities by the Middle States Association's Commission on Higher Education in 1992. In November 1992 he was designated Chair of a Middle States Evaluation Team for the reaccreditation of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He chaired a Special Evaluation Visit to the Maryknoll School of Theology for the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association on May 3-4, 1993. Subsequently he chaired a Follow-up Visit to Inter-American University, San Juan, Puerto Rico, the largest university in the Middle States System, on October 3-5, 1995. On November 11, 1997 the Commission on Higher Education named Monsignor Brandt a presenter in its Self-Study Institute to give presentations on Mission and Institutions of Higher Education and to lead discussion groups for representatives from doctoral and research universities.

On September 27, 1997 Monsignor Brandt was inducted as a Knight into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in St. Patrick Cathedral in New York. In 1999 he was promoted to the rank of Knight Commander in the Order.

Monsignor Brandt was named Fourth Bishop of Greensburg, Pennsylvania on January 2, 2004 by Pope John Paul II and ordained and installed in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral on March 4, 2004.

Bishop Brandt has significant family connections to the Diocese of Greensburg. His grandfather Giles Andrew Brandt married Mary Estella Fisher at St. Joseph Parish in Derry in 1898. His paternal grandfather likewise figured in the noted historic photograph of the workers taken during the construction of St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica. He is the figure holding a trowel in the center of the group standing in the apse of the church. Bishop Brandt's father, Lawrence Sr. was born in Latrobe in 1905.

In an interview in Erie with the Greensburg diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Accent, Bishop-elect Brandt stated, "I want to listen to the people in the pews of the Diocese of Greensburg." In 2005 Bishop Brandt began a strategic planning process for the diocese. An integral part of this process was the listening sessions conducted during Lent of 2006 which were attended by 9,000 parishioners from every part of the Diocese. This process later called for the closing of 16 parishes and the partnering of 14 other parishes as well as the closing of two Catholic schools. The Strategic Plan also called for, among other things, the age of Confirmation to be moved from second grade to eighth grade.

In continuing to implement recommendations emerging from the Strategic Plan, Bishop Brandt announced in 2013 the closure of two more parishes and the merger of six parishes to become the new St. Francis of Assisi Parish with worship sites in Footedale and Masontown. Furthermore six other parishes entered into three new partner relationships and two Catholic schools were likewise closed in this particular part of the restructuring process. In order to attempt to respond to the great emotional distress involved in the suppression of some parishes and the partnering of others because of the restructuring process, "Masses of Welcome and Remembrance," were offered by Bishop Brandt in all the affected parishes in order to welcome parishioners to their new parish or partnership configuration and to offer help to others in dealing with a deep sense of loss because of their attachment to and identity with a former parish.

After the major restructuring called for by the Strategic Plan and in the depths of a severe economic downturn called the "Great Recession," which began in 2008, Bishop Brandt announced on September 14, 2009, the diocesan capital and endowment campaign, "Today's Challenge - Tomorrow's Hope." The goal was $45 million dollars and $55 million dollars was raised. Bishop Brandt was always confident that because of the broad representation of the parish faithful in the Strategic Planning Process, which identified numerous institutional changes to be made, that the Catholics of the Diocese would in turn feel confident in supporting these changes with their faith, their support, and their treasure. And they did indeed do so even in financially dire circumstances!

The repair and restoration of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral was included in the case statement for the Capital Campaign with an allocation of $2.5 million dollars. The Cathedral project, begun in 2010, was completed within its budget in October 2011, which coincided with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Greensburg.

On February 12, 2014 Bishop Brandt announced the establishment of the Diocesan Heritage Center and on the following May 13 the grand opening took place. The Diocesan Heritage Center was intended to be a repository for collecting, preserving and exhibiting the cultural, artistic, religious, intellectual and archival patrimony of the Diocese of Greensburg.

He was elected by the Bishops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to serve as their representative from Region Ill of the (USCCS) United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the Conference's Administrative Committee 2004-2009. He likewise served on the Priorities and Plans Committee of the Conference which was charged with reorganizing the Bishops Conference itself as well as its work. He served also on the Conference's Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance and on the Ad Hoc Committee on Higher Education.

Before the capital campaign began Bishop Brandt established the Diocesan Office for Development and reorganized the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese. After the campaign he created the Office for Evangelization. The Permanent Diaconate was instituted in the diocese in 2005 and the recruitment of students for the priesthood was intensified. Vocation Prayer Chapels were established in three different parts of the Diocese. During his tenure Bishop Brandt ordained eight new priests and six permanent deacons for the Diocese. In 2008, Bishop Brandt established the International Priests Program designed initially to welcome Filipino priests to serve in the Diocese. In this context he traveled three times to the Philippines visiting different dioceses and interviewing prospective candidates. He was invited to speak to the General Assembly of the National Bishops Conference in Manilla on this subject.

He instituted the Diocesan Poverty Relief Fund in 2010 to provide direct aid to those in need within the Diocese. He likewise introduced the Bishop's Transfer Grant program to increase enrollment in Catholic Schools and received a $100,000 dollar grant for this purpose. He also secured a $4 million dollar grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to support capital and technology improvements at all diocesan schools.

Bishop Brandt introduced Intra-Diocesan Pilgrimages within the Diocese intended to be not only a unique spiritual experience, but also a means of providing an opportunity for participants to acquaint themselves with the significant architectural and artistic patrimony of the many parishes in the Diocese. At the same time, those pilgrimages were also considered a way to nurture a deeper sense of fraternity and solidarity among the faithful themselves.

He issued two Pastoral Letters during his episcopal tenure: "Integrity and the Political Arena" as promulgated on August 10, 2004 and revised and reprinted on October 11, 2012. "The Transmission of the Faith in the Present Culture" was promulgated on May 31, 2009.

In 2012 Bishop Brandt established the Bishop's Medal of Honor award and The Bishop's Medal of Honor with the Rank of Golden Merit in 2013 to recognize those who have rendered meritorious service to their parishes and the Diocese.

Bishop Brandt was elevated to the rank of Knight Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on September 14, 2005 in New York. On October 31, 2015 he received the Golden Palm of Jerusalem Award for exceptional service to the Equestrian Order itself.

In November 2015, Dr. Mary Finger, President of Seton Hill University, announced that the University was establishing "The Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt, JCD, PhD Scholarship Fund" to honor the Bishop's support of Catholic education. The grants are to be given to Catholic students from the Diocese of Greensburg.

Bishop Brandt submitted his letter of resignation to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, as required, upon completion of his 75th year of age. The Holy Father requested that he remain in office an additional year until a successor could be identified. He retired on July 13, 2015.

Bishop Brandt died on June 8, 2025.

The Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Wednesday, June 18, 2025 – Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, 300 N. Main St, Greensburg 15601

Reception of the Body – 3:30 PM

Viewing – 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Bishop Brandt – 7:00 PM

Thursday, June 19, 2025 – Blessed Sacrament Cathedral

Viewing – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Vigil Service – 6:00 PM

Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Bishop Brandt – 7:00 PM

Friday, June 20, 2025 – Blessed Sacrament Cathedral

Viewing – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Funeral Mass – 2:00 PM

Rite of Committal – Immediately following the Funeral Mass at Greensburg Catholic Cemetery