Timothy Doherty

Early life and education

Timothy Doherty was born in Rockford, Illinois, the eldest of seven children of Lawrence and June Doherty. He attended St. Mary Minor Seminary in Crystal Lake from 1964 to 1968. He then attended St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1972. He studied for the priesthood in Rome at the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University, receiving a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree in 1975. Doherty earned a doctorate in Christian ethics at Chicago's Loyola University in 1995.

Ordination and ministry

On June 26, 1976, Doherty was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockford by Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill. His first assignment was as an associate pastor at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rockford, where he remained for five years. He then furthered his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University, where he earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in moral theology from the Alfonsian Academy in 1982.

Following his return to Illinois, Doherty taught religious studies at Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford from 1982 to 1986. He served as assistant principal and head of the religion department at Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock from 1986 to 1991. Then beginning his doctoral studies at Loyola University Chicago, he received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Christian Ethics in 1995. That same year, he was appointed diocesan ethicist for health care issues, a position which he continues to hold. From 1996 to 1999, he was an associate pastor at OSF St. Anthony College of Nursing Rockford, teaching courses in theology and health care ethics.

In 1999, Doherty served as parochial administrator of St. James Church in Lee. He served as pastor of St. Mary Church in Byron from 1999 to 2007. Since 2007, he was pastor of both St. Catherine of Siena Church in Dundee and St. Mary Mission Church in Gilberts.

Bishop of Lafayette, Indiana

On May 12, 2010, Doherty was appointed the sixth Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana by Pope Benedict XVI. He succeeded Bishop William Leo Higi, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in August 2008. He received his episcopal consecration from Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein on July 15, 2010, thus becoming the sixth bishop of Lafayette.