First Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire , U.S.A. b. 25 February, 1846, at Castle-island, County Kerry, Ireland ; d. at Manchester 13 December, 1903. Shortly after his father's death his mother, with a family of five, emigrated to the United States and settled at Manchester. He was then eight years old. After attending the local schools, he was sent to Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1863, and closed his academic career there in June, 1867. He was then enrolled as an ecclesiastical student at St. Joseph's Seminary, Troy, New York, where he was ordained priest 3 June, 1871. Shortly after this he was located at Portland, Maine, under Bishop Bacon, and subsequently under Bishop Healy, by whom he was appointed rector of the cathedral and chancellor of the diocese. In June, 1881, he was made pastor of St. Joseph's, Manchester, which became his cathedral when he was consecrated first Bishop of the new See of Manchester, 11 June, 1884. He had the honour of being the first alumnus of St. Joseph's Seminary of Troy, New York, to be raised to the episcopacy.

In the rural sections of New Hampshire thee were many scattered Catholics who up to that time had few facilities for practising their faith, and his first and earnest efforts were directed towards providing for them, and with the most gratifying results. He held the first synod of the diocese 24 October, 1886, and under the energizing influence of his zeal and enthusiasm there was a general upbuiliding of Catholicism throughout the State. The silver jubilee of his ordination was made the occasion of a striking demonstration of his great personal popularity, and this had another manifestation when every non-Catholic pulpit in Manchester bore sincere testimony to the loss his death had occasioned to the city and to the State.

The Catholic Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive resource on Catholic teaching, history, and information ever gathered in all of human history. This easy-to-search online version was originally printed in fifteen hardcopy volumes.

Designed to present its readers with the full body of Catholic teaching, the Encyclopedia contains not only precise statements of what the Church has defined, but also an impartial record of different views of acknowledged authority on all disputed questions, national, political or factional. In the determination of the truth the most recent and acknowledged scientific methods are employed, and the results of the latest research in theology, philosophy, history, apologetics, archaeology, and other sciences are given careful consideration.

No one who is interested in human history, past and present, can ignore the Catholic Church, either as an institution which has been the central figure in the civilized world for nearly two thousand years, decisively affecting its destinies, religious, literary, scientific, social and political, or as an existing power whose influence and activity extend to every part of the globe. In the past century the Church has grown both extensively and intensively among English-speaking peoples. Their living interests demand that they should have the means of informing themselves about this vast institution, which, whether they are Catholics or not, affects their fortunes and their destiny.

Copyright © Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company New York, NY. Volume 1: 1907; Volume 2: 1907; Volume 3: 1908; Volume 4: 1908; Volume 5: 1909; Volume 6: 1909; Volume 7: 1910; Volume 8: 1910; Volume 9: 1910; Volume 10: 1911; Volume 11: - 1911; Volume 12: - 1911; Volume 13: - 1912; Volume 14: 1912; Volume 15: 1912

Catholic Online Catholic Encyclopedia Digital version Compiled and Copyright © Catholic Online