Rembert Weakland

Rembert George Weakland, Order of Saint Benedict (OSB) (born April 2, 1927) is a Roman Catholic archbishop. He was the archbishop of Milwaukee from 1977 to 2002.

Born in Patton, Pennsylvania, he professed his vows as a member of the Benedictines on September 23, 1946, and was ordained a priest on June 24, 1951 in Subiaco, Italy. He was elevated to abbot primate of the Benedictines on September 29, 1967. An accomplished musician and influential liturgist, he is a noted expert on Gregorian chant. From 1967 to 1977 Weakland was the leader of the Benedictine Confederation.

On September 20, 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed Abbot Weakland the archbishop of Milwaukee. He was consecrated a bishop on November 8, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist by Archbishop Jean Jadot.

One of his last major actions as archbishop was effecting a highly controversial renovation of the historic Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee. A staunch theological liberal throughout his episcopate, Archbishop Weakland retired on May 24, 2002, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75, but amid revelations that he had paid money, out of diocesan funds, to a former graduate student Paul Macoux, an alleged gay lover.