James Edward Dempsey was born in Providence, Rhode Island, February22, 1912, the son of Joseph M. Demspey and Julia Mary McSherry. He attendedSt. Mary’s Grammar School, LaSalle Academy and Providence College inProvidence, Rhode Island. In August 1935, he entered the Dominican novitiateat St. Rose of Lima Priory, Springfield, Kentucky, receiving the religiousname of Michael, and made his first profession there on August 16, 1936. From1936 to 1939 he pursued philosophical studies at the Dominican House ofStudies, River Forest, Illinois, and made his solemn profession on August 16, 1939. He elected to join the new Province of St. Albert the Great and socontinued his theological studies at the Dominican House of Studies in RiverForest, where he was ordained by Bishop Bernard J. Sheil on June 11, 1942.

Having completed his basic studies, Father Dempsey was assigned to FenwickHigh School, Oak Park, Illinois, where he taught English and religion from1943 to 1950. During this time he also attended DePaul University, Chicago,Illinois, and obtained a master’s degree in English literature. In 1951 FatherDempsey was asked to undertake foreign mission work in Nigeria. He was amongthe first three pioneer friars, arriving on 27 February 1951. From 1951 to1965 he served five terms as pastor and local superior of St. Dominic’sParish, Yaba, Lagos State. On leave from 24 Jan 1955 to 2 Feb 1956, he wasalso made Vicar Provincial for the whole of Nigeria on 23 Sept 1957. After 18October 1959 his responsibility was for Yaba alone, subject to the provincialdirectly, until 30 June 1962 when Yaba became part of the Nigerian Vicarateheaded by Victor Nadeau. On 27 August 1965 Fr. Dempsey was appointed vicar,and moved to Gusau in early November.

The anti-Igbo, anti-Christian riots of 1966 left the diocese of Sokotoempty of most of its Christians; its only indigenous priest fled, many churchbuildings were in shambles, and in December Bishop Lawton died of a heartattack. On July 13, 1967, Michael Dempsey was appointed bishop. On August 15,1967 he was ordained at St. Pius V Church, Chicago, Illinois, by Cardinal JohnP. Cody, archbishop of Chicago, assisted by Archbishop John Aggey of Lagos,Nigeria, and Bishop Aloysius Wycislo, auxiliary bishop of Chicago. He wasformally installed as ordinary of the diocese on October 1, 1967, and returnedto Nigeria on 27 Sept.

Bishop Dempsey turned his attention to the northern Christians who remainedand was not afraid to open the first secondary school in Gusau in 1968. Thecivil war ended in January 1970 and in the aftermath Christians from aroundthe country began to flood Sokoto diocese. The 70s were the years of the oilboom and the church, the economy and the society began to bound back.

Bishop Dempsey directed most of this operation from the quiet of his officein Sokoto, where he nourished the contemplative aspect of Dominican life withthe full celebration of the Office in church and by keeping abreast withtheology, reading particularly theOsservatore Romano andTheTablet. He firmly believed and impressed on all that the success of ourapostolate depended on faithfulness to Dominican prayer life and study.

Although he appeared to be shy and was very careful in his dealings withthe govenment, Bishop Dempsey regularly toured his diocese and visited themost remote outstations. He pushed himself to learn enough Hausa to say theMass and greet people on his visitations.

He was also an excellent preacher, and non-Catholics used to come to theCatholic church just to hear him. He was well prepared for any bishops’meeting. His file of notes helped him in this and also in the many preachingengagements he had throughout the country. He would often quote Karl Rahner, sayingthat a bishop’s obligation to collegiality and the needs of the Church as awhole was more important than the particular needs of his own diocese. Hestressed the need to work in common projects and not selfishly contain oneselfto the local church.

Under Bishop Dempsey Sokoto Diocese was built up far beyond what it wasbefore the 1966 riots. Young men were sent to the seminary and ordained. TheDominican sisters began a flourishing Nigerian congregation based in Gusau.The catechetical school at Malumfashi turned out trained catechists for thewhole of the north of Nigeria. The evangelization of indigenous Hausa peopleproceeded at a wildfire pace. Efforts were made, with considerable success,to have good relations with Muslims and ecumenical cooperation with otherChristian churches. Bishop Dempsey used to round off his brilliant apostolateby cleaning toilet bowls for the brethren.

In his later years he suffered several minor strokes and had other healthproblems. He also felt the handicap of being the only “alien”(non-Commonwealth) bishop in Nigeria. He even had to check in and out with thepolice when he went out of Sokoto province to enter Katsina province, part ofhis diocese. These factors he presented when he submitted his resignation toPope John Paul II on 8 May 1984. His resignation was formally accepted on 31December 1985.

Bishop Dempsey returned to the United States in the fall of 1985 and,exercising his privilege of choosing a house of the Order in which to reside,after a short stay in River Forest, took up residence at St. Dominic Priory,Denver, Colorado, where he spent the last years of his life. There he wasactive in assisting at St. Dominic Parish, especially in ministry to the sickand aged. Declining health necessitated his move to Mullen Home in Denver, acare facility sponsored by the Little Sisters of the Poor. There he died onthe morning of March 19, 1996. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated byArchbishop J. Francis Stafford of Denver at St. Dominic’s church on March 25,1996, and Bishop Dempsey was buried in the Dominican plot at Mt. OlivetCemetery, Denver.

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