Robert Louis Hodapp
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The Most Reverend Robert L. Hodapp, S.J. |
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|---|---|
| Bishop of Belize | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed | March 2, 1958 |
| In office | June 26, 1958 - November 11, 1983 |
| Predecessor | David Francis Hickey, S.J. |
| Successor | Osmond P. Martin |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 18, 1941 |
| Consecration | June 26, 1958 by Patrick Finbar Ryan, O.P. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 1, 1910 Mankato, Minnesota |
| Died | October 26, 1989 (aged 79) |
Robert Louis Hodapp, S.J. (October 1, 1910 – October 26, 1989) was an American-born bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the second Bishop of Belize from 1958-1983.
Robert Hodapp was born in Mankato, Minnesota, to George J. and Elizabeth M. (Schmidt) Hodapp. He was educated at Loyola High School in Mankato, St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Missouri, Saint Louis University, and St. Mary's College in Kansas.
He professed vows in the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1930 and was ordained a priest on June 18, 1941. In 1942 he arrived on the Belize mission where he taught at St. John's College, did pastoral work at Holy Redeemer Cathedral parish, and became over-all superintendent of construction for the mission.
On March 2, 1958 Pope Pius XII appointed him as the Bishop of Belize (British Honduras). He was consecrated by Archbishop Patrick F. Ryan, O.P., of Port of Spain on June 26, 1958. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Edward A. Fitzgerald of Winona and John J. McEleney, S.J., of Kingston in Jamaica. Hodapp was the sixth bishop to serve in Belize and the second since it became a diocese. He was most unassuming, with little of the episcopal aura of the previous bishops and, with earthy simplicity, was perhaps the first bishop in Belize who seemed adapted to mission life from the moment he arrived in the country. He took right to his pastoral duties and Confirmation tours: "Bishop Hodapp travels by jeep, horseback, canoe (dory), boat, airplane, and on foot to reach the many people he administers Confirmation to each year." He took a strong stand against the introduction of casinos and organized gambling into Belize. "When Bishop Hodapp was shot in New Orleans … there was some speculation that it was because he opposed the casino package." In 1959 he had begun turning over parishes to diocesan priests. By 1972 diocesan priests were running 6 parishes. In 1969 he named Fr. Facundo Castillo the first Belizean pastor of the cathedral parish and vicar general of the diocese. In 1971 St. Ignatius parish covered the entire area west of downtown and south of Haulover Creek. Hodapp instituted St. Martin de Porres parish for the western part of this area. In 2015 St. Martin's and St. Peter Claver in Punta Gorda were the two parishes in Belize still pastored by Jesuits.
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