After his ordination, Untener served in Detroit for a time, and then studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning a doctorate.

In 1980, Pope John Paul II appointed Untener as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw.

After his appointment, some people filed complaints with the Vatican about a recent workshop for seminarians on sexuality that Untener had authorized at St. John's Seminary.

"[1] Upon his consecration, Untener sold the bishop's mansion and began a career-long practice of living for periods of time in the various rectories of the diocese with his priests.

In 2000, Untener created the first Little Black Book, which followed lectio divina (divine reading) to help people spend time praying to God.

[2][1] In 1979, Untener wrote a homily for Cardinal Dearden that included the poetic reflection, "We are prophets of a future not our own."

When he received a positive report, Untener accepted the transfer, but partnered him with a senior priest for observation.

[7] Three years after his death, some of Untener's reflections were collected in a book, The Practical Prophet: Pastoral Writings.

[8] Untener's career was marked by a consistent focus on egalitarianism in the church, ministry to the poor and participative liturgy.

He frequently derided the Vatican for avoiding debate on real issues that potentially harmed the entire Church.

Untener frequently observed that Jesus kept quite diverse company in his lifetime, including many people who were unwelcome in the synagogues of the time.

Some of the more controversial issues that Untener addressed were modern church attitudes toward birth control and abortion.

At the 1993 National Conference of Bishops meeting, Untener reportedly interrupted the proceedings by commenting on how many people felt bored during Mass.

Untener told a reporter, "They were talking about the niceties of phrases – debating whether `prince' or `ruler' was a better word to use in the lectionary."