Thomas John McDonnell

Thomas John McDonnell, D.D., (August 18, 1894 – February 25, 1961) was the Roman Catholic coadjutor bishop, cum jure successionis, of what is now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia.

Thomas John McDonnell
Coadjutor Bishop of Wheeling, West Virginia
AppointedMarch 7, 1951
Term endedFebruary 25, 1961
SuccessorJoseph Howard Hodges
Orders
OrdinationSeptember 20, 1919
ConsecrationSeptember 15, 1947
by Francis Spellman
Personal details
Born(1894-08-18)August 18, 1894
New York, New York
DiedFebruary 25, 1961(1961-02-25) (aged 66)
Huntington, West Virginia
BuriedMount Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling, West Virginia
NationalityAmerican
DenominationRoman Catholic
Previous post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of New York (1947–1951)
MottoAd Jesum Per Mariam
(To Jesus Through Mary)
Styles of
Thomas John McDonnell
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency

Education and pastoral assignment

Thomas John McDonnell was born in New York City. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York on September 20, 1919.[1] Early in his career, on October 30, 1921, he sang the Solemn High Mass dedicating Staten Island's new Mission Church of St. Clare, where he served as Assistant Rector.[2] McDonnell was admitted as an affiliated member, number 87, to Marist College in 1944.[3]

Episcopacy

On July 2, 1947, Pope Pius XII appointed McDonnell auxiliary bishop of the New York Archdiocese. He was consecrated on September 15, 1947, taking as his episcopal motto: "Ad Jesum Per Mariam" (To Jesus Through Mary).[4] His principal consecrator was Cardinal Francis Spellman, and the principal co-consecrators were Cardinals Richard James Cushing and James Francis Aloysius McIntyre. On March 7, 1951, Pope Pius XII appointed McDonnell to the Wheeling Diocese,[1] with the right to succeed Bishop John Joseph Swint.[5]

Prominent Masses in New York

On March 17, 1948, McDonnell celebrated a Pontifical High Mass in honor of St. Patrick with Spellman presiding. This High Mass was said for St. Patrick's Cathedral's patron saint with 3,000 parishioners in attendance and was covered in The New York Times.[6]

On June 6, 1948, McDonnell presided at a solemn Pontifical Mass celebrating the golden jubilee of Monsignor John J. E. O'Brien, who was the pastor of St. Agnes Church (New York City).[7]

Consecrations and dedications

On October 24, 1953, McDonnell consecrated Marist College's altar with the relics of two martyrs, Saints Urban and Felician, in Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel.[8]

On May 16, 1954, All Saints Catholic Church was dedicated by McDonnell in Bridgeport, West Virginia.[9]

McDonnell dedicated Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Williamson, West Virginia on May 27, 1951, and its school on December 15, 1957.[10]

McDonnell was the principal consecrator of Bishop Patrick Joseph Byrne. He was the principal co-consecrator of Bishops Augustine Francis Wildermuth, Stephen Anthony Appelhans, John Joseph Boardman, Richard Henry Ackerman and Archbishop Leo Clement Andrew Arkfeld.[1]

Death

McDonnell died of an acute viral infection on February 25, 1961,[11] before he was able to succeed Swint to become bishop of Wheeling. McDonnell had been a priest for 41 years and a bishop for 13 years.[1] Swint died the following year, on November 23, 1962.[12]

References
  1. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Thomas John McDonnell". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  2. "History of Saint Clare Parish". Church of St. Clare. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  3. "History of the Marist Brothers in the United States; Appendix I: Affiliated Members of the United States Provinces". Marist College. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018.
  4. Chow, Gabriel. "Bishops who are not Ordinaries of Sees". GCatholic.org. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  5. Rutkowski, Ryan (2010). Catholic West Virginia. Arcadia Publishing. p. 16. ISBN 978-0738586397. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  6. "3,000 at St. Patrick's; Spellman Presides at Annual Mass in the Cathedral". The New York Times. March 18, 1948. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
  7. "Msgr. O'Brien Gets Acclaim for Work; 50 Years of Priesthood Marked at Service in St. Agnes Church and at Luncheon". The New York Times. June 7, 1948. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  8. Belanger, Joseph L.R. (November 3, 2005). "Chronology of Marist College: 1858–1969". Marist College. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  9. "History". All Saints Catholic Church. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  10. "History". Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Williamson, West Virginia. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018.
  11. "High Church Leader Dies". Associated Press. February 27, 1961. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  12. Cheney, David M. "Archbishop John Joseph Swint". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
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