Retired Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for his advocacy against war and for social justice, passed away on Thursday at the age of 94. While the Archdiocese of Detroit, where he served for more than half a century, announced his passing, details on the cause of death were not disclosed.
The Detroit News reported Archbishop Allen Vigneron's statement: "Bishop Gumbleton was a faithful son of the Archdiocese of Detroit, loved and respected by his brother priests and the laity for his integrity, and devotion to the people he served." A tribute to his service and his role as a champion for peace and equality, Gumbleton's influence extended beyond the city's parishes. His tenure as a leader of Pax Christi USA, an American Catholic peace movement, was instrumental in shaping his national religious profile during the turmoil of the 1960s Vietnam War era.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Gumbleton was an outspoken liberal activist who took stances against war, racism, and anti-gay church policies, seeking to align the church more closely with principles of social justice and labor rights. His activism wasn't limited to speeches; it often led to arrests, such as in 1996 during a protest supporting striking newspaper workers in Detroit.
"Bishop Bishop Gumbleton took the gospel to heart and lived it day in and day out. He preferred to speak the truth and to be, on the side of the marginalized than to toe any party line and climb the ecclesiastical ladder," Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, said in a statement reported by American Magazine. Gumbleton's approach to his faith and his commitment to activism marked his legacy, one that went far beyond the confines of local church politics.
Gumbleton was ordained in 1956 and served numerous parishes in Detroit, notably St. Leo Parish with its large Black congregation. He continued his engagement with the community through the National Catholic Reporter's publication of his sermons in "The Peace Pulpit." In later years, he backed legislation to extend the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims and expressed public support for LGBTQ+ youth. Funeral arrangements for the prominent bishop will be announced at a later date.
