Anthony Joseph O'Connell | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Palm Beach | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Palm Beach |
| Installed | January 14, 1999 |
| Term ended | March 13, 2002 |
| Predecessor | Joseph Keith Symons |
| Successor | Seán Patrick O'Malley |
| Previous post | Bishop of Knoxville (1988 to 1998) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | March 30, 1963 by Joseph M. Marling |
| Consecration | September 8, 1988 by Pio Laghi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1938-05-10)May 10, 1938 |
| Died | May 4, 2012(2012-05-04) (aged 73) |
| Denomination | Roman Catholicism |
| Education | Mungret College Kenrick Seminary |
| Motto | The harvest is plenty |
Anthony J. O'Connell (May 10, 1938 – May 4, 2012) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic church. He served as the first bishop of theDiocese of Knoxville in Tennessee from 1988 to 1998. He later served as the third bishop of theDiocese of Palm Beach in Florida from 1999 to 2002.
O'Connell resigned as bishop of Palm Beach in 2002 after admitting to the sexual abuse of minors years earlier.
O'Connell was born on May 10, 1938, inLisheen,County Clare,Ireland.[1] He studied at Mount St Joseph inCork and atMungret College inLimerick. He emigrated to the U.S. at age 20 and entered Kenrick Seminary inSt. Louis, Missouri.
On March 30, 1963, O'Connell was ordained a priest at St. Peter Cathedral in Jefferson City, Missouri, by BishopJoseph Mary Marling for theDiocese of Jefferson City.[1][2][3] Following his ordination, O'Connell was assigned as director of students atSt. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary inHannibal, Missouri. He was named spiritual director in 1968 and was appointed rector in 1970.
O'Connell served as director of vocations for the diocese from 1969 to 1988. He was a member of the diocesan Commission for Personnel and president of the Priests' Senate. He was serving as rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary before becoming bishop.
O'Connell was appointed byPope John Paul II as the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Knoxville on June 7, 1988. On September 8, 1988, O'Connell was consecrated at the Holiday Inn Convention Center inKnoxville, Tennessee, with ArchbishopPio Laghi served asprincipal consecrator and BishopJames Niedergeses and BishopMichael McAuliffe serving as principal co-consecrators.[1]
On November 12, 1998, John Paul II appointed O'Connell as the third bishop ofPalm Beach,[1][3] replacingJ. Keith Symons, who resigned after admitting he molested five boys early in his priesthood.[4]
On March 8, 2002, O'Connell admitted that he had molested at least two students of St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary during his 25-year career there.[5] That same day, O'Connell offered his resignation as bishop of Palm Beach to the Vatican. It was accepted by Pope John Paul II on March 13, 2002.[1][3] After his resignation, O'Connell moved toMepkin Abbey inMoncks Corner, South Carolina, to live a life of penance and prayer under supervision.[6]
Later in March, Christopher Dixon, a former priest from Missouri, accused O'Connell of sexually molesting him as a teenage seminarian at St. Thomas when O'Connell was rector of the seminary. After reporting the abuse in 1995, the Diocese of Jefferson City gave him a $125,000 settlement on condition that he sign anon-disclosure agreement.[7] That same month, four former students, including two identified in media reports as "John C.C. Doe" and "Alexander", made allegations in regard to O'Connell's actions against students in his charge.[8][9] The extent of O'Connell's transgressions was documented byTime magazine on March 22, 2002, noting that "Jefferson City diocese had been receiving complaints about sexual abuse by O'Connell as early as 1967."[10]
Anthony O'Connell died on May 4, 2012, at age 73, at Mepkin Abbey. His funeral mass was celebrated on May 7, 2012, at Mepkin Abbey.[6]
Michael Boyd, a Knoxville native, sued the Diocese of Knoxville on July 18, 2019, claiming that, when he was an altar boy, he was abused by Reverend Xavier Mankel and O'Connell. The diocese settled the suit out of court for undisclosed terms, and the diocese admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement.[11]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Inaugural appointment | Bishop of Knoxville 1988–1998 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Palm Beach 1999–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Ordinaries |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Churches | ||
| Education | ||
| Bishops |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Churches |
| |
| Education | ||
| Miscellany | ||
| Bishops | |
|---|---|
| Churches | |
| Education |
|
| Priests | |
| Other | |
