David Choby

David Raymond Choby (January 17, 1947 – June 3, 2017) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the 11th Bishop of Nashville, having previously served as Diocesan Administrator (2004–2006).

His Excellency, The Most Reverend David Raymond Choby D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Nashville
Diocese	Nashville
Appointed	December 20, 2005
Installed	February 27, 2006
Term ended	June 3, 2017
Predecessor	Edward U. Kmiec
Successor	J. Mark Spalding
Orders
Ordination	September 6, 1974 by Joseph Aloysius Durick
Consecration	February 27, 2006 by Thomas C. Kelly, James Daniel Niedergeses, and Edward Kmiec
Personal details
Born	January 17, 1947 Nashville, Tennessee
Died	June 3, 2017 (aged 70) Nashville, Tennessee
Nationality	American
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Residence	Hendersonville, Tennessee
Parents	Raymond & Rita Choby
Previous post	• Board of Trustees, Pontifical College Josephinum (Incumbent) • Diocesan Administrator (2004–06) • Pastor, St. John Vianney Parish (1989–2004) • Member, Diocesan Tribunal (1986–89) • Administrator, St. Ann Parish (1983–86) • Associate pastor, St. Joseph's-in-Madison Parish (1978–83)
Alma mater	Father Ryan High School Aquinas College St. Ambrose College Catholic University of America Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)
Motto	THAT WE MAY LIVE

Styles of David Raymond Choby
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Early life

Bishop Choby was born in Nashville and baptized in the Cathedral Church of the Incarnation, where he would eventually be consecrated a bishop.

Choby is the son of Raymond and Rita Choby, both deceased. He has one sister, Diane C. Dyche of Fort Worth, Texas. He attended Catholic schools growing up, and he graduated from Father Ryan High School in 1965.

Education and ordination

After spending one year at Aquinas College in Nashville, Bishop Choby entered the seminary at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa. Later, he studied at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Bishop Choby received the Sacrament of Holy Orders and was ordained a priest on September 6, 1974, by Joseph A. Durick, Bishop of Nashville at St. Henry Church in Belle Meade.

Service as a priest

Bishop Choby served a number of assignments in the Diocese of Nashville before being consecrated bishop. He was associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Madison, administrator of St. Ann Parish in Nashville, and spent three years in residence at Christ the King Parish in Nashville while working at the Diocesan Tribunal. From 1989 until his consecration as bishop, Bishop Choby was the parish pastor at St. John Vianney Parish in Gallatin, where he was active in the community and in the local ministerial association.

Canonist and professor

Bishop Choby was an alumnus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas Angelicum in Rome where he earned a canon law degree. He served as a member of the diocesan tribunal throughout most of his priesthood, prior to becoming bishop. He also served two five-year terms on the diocese’s presbyteral council and college of consultors.

From 1984 to 1989, Choby taught at the Pontifical College Josephinum, a seminary in Columbus, Ohio. From his consecration as bishop until his death, Bishop Choby was a member of the seminary’s board of trustees.

Appointment and consecration as bishop

Sede vacante

On August 12, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed the 10th Bishop of Nashville, Edward U. Kmiec, as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, New York. Choby, a priest of the diocese of Nashville, was elected Diocesan Administrator by the Diocesan College of Consultors.

Appointment as bishop

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Nashville on December 20, 2005. He is only the second priest of the diocese since it was founded in 1837 to be tapped as its bishop; the others have all come from outside the diocese.

Choby was consecrated and installed as Bishop of Nashville on February 27, 2006, in the Cathedral Church of the Incarnation. The principal consecrator was Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, OP, of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky.

Bishop Choby chose as his episcopal motto: "That We May Live," a quotation from the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer.

Death

Bishop Choby sustained two falls in his later years, the second of which occurred in February 2017. The second fall resulted in a number of serious injuries, and Bishop Choby elected to hand over governance of the diocese to Rev. David Perkin, the vicar general.[1] Bishop Choby died June 3, 2017 from infections that resulted from his injuries.[2][3]

See also

• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

References

1. Schiffer, Kathy (2017-02-28). "Diocese of Nashville Under Canonical Impediment, as Bishop Choby Remains Hospitalized". National Catholic Register.
2. "Bishop David Choby dies from complications after fall". WKRN News. 2017-06-04.
3. Tennessean: "Seven things to know about Nashville's interim Catholic bishop" by Brad Schmitt July 28, 2017

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville Official Site
• David Choby at DioceseofNashville.com