John Joseph Fitzpatrick | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Brownsville Titular Bishop of Cenae | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Brownsville |
| In office | 1971–1991 |
| Predecessor | Bishop Humberto Medeiros |
| Successor | Bishop Enrique San Pedro |
| Previous posts | Auxiliary Bishop of Miami 1968 to 1971 |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 13, 1942 by John Aloysius Duffy |
| Consecration | August 28, 1968 by Coleman Carroll |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 12, 1918 Trenton, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | July 15, 2006(2006-07-15) (aged 87) |
| Motto | Mihi vivere Christus (Let Christ live for me) |
John Joseph Fitzpatrick (October 12, 1918 – July 15, 2006) was a Canadian-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as anauxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of Miami in Florida from 1968 to 1971 and as the thirdbishop of theDiocese of Brownsville in Texas from 1971 to 1991.
Fitzpatrick was described as a strong advocate for the poor and for refugees.[1]
John Fitzpatrick was born inTrenton, Ontario, Canada on October 12, 1918.[2] When he was age five, his family moved toBuffalo, New York. He attended Catholic schools throughout high school. He went to Rome to study for the priesthood, but was forced to return to the United States in 1942 due toWorld War II.[3] After the war, Fitzpatrick returned to Rome to complete his studies.[3]
Fitzpatrick was ordained a priest in Rome by BishopJohn Aloysius Duffy for theDiocese of Buffalo on December 13, 1942, when he was 24 years old.[2] After his ordination, Duffy enlisted in theUS Army Chaplain Corps and was assigned to a unit stationed in Florida.[3]
Duffy was incardinated, or transferred, in 1948 from the Diocese of Buffalo to theDiocese of St Augustine in Florida. In 1958,Pope Pius XII erected the Diocese of Miami. At that time, Duffy are incardinated into the new diocese.[2][3][4]
Fitzpatrick was appointed byPope Paul VI as auxiliary bishop of what was now the Archdiocese of Miami andtitular bishop of Cenae on June 24, 1968.[2] On August 28, 1968, he was consecrated a bishop at theCathedral of Saint Mary in Miami, Florida, by ArchbishopColeman F. Carroll; his co-consecrators were BishopJoseph Durick and ArchbishopJoseph Bernardin.[2]
On April 27, 1971, Fitzpatrick was appointed by Paul VI as the third bishop of Brownsville. He was installed inBrownsville, Texas, on May 27, 1971.[2] In 1982, Fitzpatrick opened Casa Oscar Romero in Brownsville, named after the murdered Salvadorian archbishop,Oscar Arnulfo Romero. It served as a shelter for refugees coming across the Mexican border into the United States. He eventually closed the shelter after repeated complaints from federal judges that he was violatingUS immigration law.[3] Fitzpatrick set up a different shelter and even opened his own garage to refugees.[3]
As bishop, he set up an extensive program to train lay people to assume roles within the diocese.[3] He also established diocese radio and TV stations.[5]
On November 30, 1991,Pope John Paul II accepted Fitzpatrick's resignation as bishop of Brownsville.[2] After the death of his replacement, BishopEnrique San Pedro, in 1994, Fitzpatrick served asapostolic administrator for nearly a year until the appointment of BishopRaymundo Peña in 1995. In 1994, Fitzpatrick testified in court on behalf of Stacey Lynn Merkt, a Catholic lay worker accused of illegally bringing twoSalvadoran refugees into the United States. He said that aiding refugees was in accordance with the laws of man and of God[6]
John Fitzpatrick died in Brownsville on July 15, 2006, at age 87.[2]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Brownsville 1971–1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by – | Auxiliary Bishop of Miami 1968–1971 | Succeeded by – |
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