Daniel R. Jenky

In February 2018, Jenky was sued along with the other Catholic bishops in Illinois. Two of the plaintiffs claimed sexual abuse by priests in the Diocese of Peoria during the 1970's and 1980's. Attorney Jeff Anderson accused Jenky of providing incomplete lists of priests who were considered credibly accused of sexual abuse. The Diocese denied the charges. On August 21, 2018, Jenky made these remarks regarding the grand jury report in Pennsylvania regarding sexual abuse by priests:

As bishop, Jenky led the canonization cause in the Catholic church of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, a Peoria native. However, in 2014, citing undocumented verbal agreements, Jenky announced that he would not permit the cause to progress until Sheen's remains were transferred to Peoria from St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. After three years of litigation by the Diocese of Peoria against the Archdiocese of New York regarding Sheen's wishes, his remains were moved to Peoria in June 2019. Upon further objections from the Archdiocese of New York, Sheen's beatification was postponed indefinitely.

In an April 2012 "Men's March" homily, Jenky denounced the US Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Obama, and members of the U.S. Senate, comparing them to early persecutors of Christians, barbarians, "wave after wave of Jihads", the "Age of Revolution", Nazis, and Communists. Jenky continued:

On February 12, 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed Jenky as bishop of the Diocese of Peoria. He was installed on April 10 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria. On March 3, 2022 his retirement was accepted by Pope Francis.

On October 21, 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed Jenky as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and titular bishop of Amantia. On December 16, 1997, he received his episcopal consecration from Bishop John M. D'Arcy, with Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan and Archbishop Charles Schleck serving as co-consecrators. Jenky was assigned as rector of St. Matthew's Cathedral in South Bend, Indiana, and pastor of the parish.

Jenky was ordained to the priesthood on April 6, 1974. He then taught social studies and religion at Bourgade Catholic High School in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1975, Jenky returned to Notre Dame and became the rector of Dillon Hall, the director of campus ministry, and the rector of Sacred Heart Church, teaching courses as well. In 1985, Jenky became superior of the Holy Cross priests and brothers at Notre Dame.

Daniel Jenky was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended St. Laurence High School, under the direction of the Irish Christian Brothers. He entered the University of Notre Dame in 1965, and the novitiate of the Congregation of Holy Cross at Bennington, Vermont in 1966. In 1970, Jenky obtained a Bachelor of History degree from Notre Dame. In 1973, Jenky made his profession as member of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the same year in which he earned his Master of Theology degree and received his diaconate.

Daniel Robert Jenky, CSC (born March 3, 1947) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois from 2002 until his retirement in 2022. He also served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend in Indiana from 1997 to 2002.