Phillip Francis Straling
Phillip Francis Straling is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino in California from 1978 to 1995, and as Bishop
Biography
Early life and ministry
Phillip Straling was born on April 25, 1933, in San Bernardino, California. He was ordained into the priesthood in San Diego, California, by Bishop Charles Buddy for the Diocese of San Diego on March 19, 1959. He served 11 years in campus ministry before serving as executive secretary of the second Synod of the diocese. In 1976, Straling was named pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in San Bernardino.Bishop of San Bernardino
On July 14, 1978, Pope Paul VI named Straling as the first bishop of San Bernardino. He was consecrated in Riverside, California, on November 6, 1978, by Cardinal Timothy Manning. The co-consecrators were Archbishop John Quinn and Bishop Leo Maher.During Straling's episcopate, the diocese grew from about 235,000 people to 800,000, and from 85 parishes to 105. He established a permanent diaconate program, and started the Straling Institute in 1980 for laymen. On January 28, 1992, Pope John Paul II named Gerald Barnes as the first auxiliary bishop of the diocese and Straling consecrated him on March 18 of the same year.