William Edward Koenig (born August 17, 1956) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington in Delaware since 2021.
After his ordination, the diocese assigned Koenig in 1983 as parochial vicar at St. Edward the Confessor Parish in Syosset, New York. Three years later, he was transferred to Setauket, New York, to serve as parochial vicar at St. James Parish. During his time in Setauket, Koenig also worked in the Campus Ministry Program at State University at Stony Brook in Stony Brook, New York.[3] Bishop John R. McGann named Koenig as director of vocations in 1989 and director of ministry to priests in 1990.[3]
In 1989, Koenig became diocesan director of vocations at the cathedral residence of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York, helping in the formation of seminarians. In 1990, he also became diocesan director of ministry to priests. He held both positions for the next six years.[3]
Bishop William F. Murphy named Koenig as rector of St. Agnes Cathedral in 2009. He left that position in 2020 when Bishop John Barres appointed him vicar for clergy for the diocese.[3]
Bishop of Wilmington
On April 30, 2021, Pope Francis appointed Koenig as bishop for Wilmington.[2][5][3] Koenig was consecrated by Archbishop William E. Lori on July 13, 2021, at the Church of St. Elizabeth in Wilmington, Delaware, with Bishops Barres and W. Francis Malooly serving as co-consecrators.[4]
Koenig was asked in 2021 if he would give Communion to President Joe Biden, who maintains a residence in Delaware. Some American prelates have said that they would refuse communion to Biden due to his support for abortion rights for women and same-sex marriage. Koenig said that he would discuss Catholic teaching with him.
On March 8, 2023, Koenig expressed his opposition to a proposed bill in the Delaware House of Representatives that would require priests to report confessions of sexual abuse crimes to police.[6]