Merlin Guilfoyle | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Stockton Titular Bishop of Bulla | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Stockton |
| In office | November 12, 1969 to September 4, 1979 |
| Predecessor | Hugh Aloysius Donohoe |
| Successor | Roger Mahony |
| Other posts | Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco 1950 to 1969 Titular Bishop of Bulla |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 10, 1933 by Edward Joseph Hanna |
| Consecration | September 21, 1950 by John Joseph Mitty |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1908-07-15)July 15, 1908 San Francisco, US |
| Died | November 20, 1981(1981-11-20) (aged 73) |
| Education | St. Patrick's Seminary Catholic University of America |
| Styles of Merlin Guilfoyle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
Merlin Joseph Guilfoyle (July 15, 1908 – November 20, 1981) was an Americanprelate of theCatholic Church. He served as bishop of theDiocese of Stockton in California from 1969 to 1979. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of San Francisco in California from 1950 to 1969.
Merlin Guilfoyle was born on July 15, 1908, inSan Francisco,California, to John Joseph and Teresa (née Bassity) Guilfoyle.[1] His parents' home was destroyed in the1906 San Francisco earthquake. Prior to Guilfoyle's birth, they returned to San Francisco from two years living inOakland, California.
Guilfoyle attended St. James Boys' School in San Francisco from 1914 to 1922, and St. Joseph's College inMountain View from 1922 to 1927. He then studied (1927-1933) atSt. Patrick's Seminary inMenlo Park.
Guilfoyle wasordained to the priesthood by ArchbishopEdward Joseph Hanna in San Francisco on June 10, 1933 for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.[2] In 1937, he earned aDoctor of Canon Law degree from theCatholic University of America in Washington, D.C.[1] The Vatican elevated Guilfoyle to the rank ofdomestic prelate in 1949. He was the co-founder andchaplain of the St. Thomas More Society for the archdiocese.
On August 24, 1950, Guilfoyle was appointedauxiliary bishop of San Francisco andtitular bishop of Bulla byPope Pius XII.[2] He received hisepiscopalconsecration at theCathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco on September 21, 1950, from ArchbishopJohn Mitty, with BishopsJames Sweeney andHugh Donohoe serving asco-consecrators.[2]
In addition to his duties as bishop, Guilfoyle served asrector ofMission San Francisco de Asís (1950-1969) andmilitary vicar of armed forces for theArchdiocese of San Francisco and theDioceses of Monterey-Fresno, Sacramento,Reno, and Salt Lake City.[1] On October 3, 1955, Guilfoyle dedicated a statue ofFrancis of Assisi by artistBeniamino Bufano at St. Francis of Assisi Church in San Francisco.[3]
Guilfoyle was named the second bishop of Stockton byPope Paul VI on November 12, 1969.[2] He was installed inStockton, California, on January 13, 1970.
On September 4, 1979,Pope John Paul II accepted Guilfoyle's resignation as bishop of Stockton. Merlin Guilfoyle died inStockton, California, on November 20, 1981, at age 73.[2]
On July 17, 1998, a jury awarded two brothers $40 million in asexual abuse lawsuit against the Diocese of Stockton. Joh and James Howard said they were molested as altar boys by Reverend Oliver Francis O’Grady, a priest at St. Ann's Parish inLodi, California, starting in the 1970's. O'Grady had received 14 years in prison for molesting the boys. In 1976, O'Grady had admitted to Guilfoyle directly that he had inappropriately touched Nancy Sloan-Ferguson, then an 11 year old girl. In response, Guilfoyle transferred him to another parish and sent him to counseling - he did not suspend his privileges or notify police. The lawsuit accused the diocese ofnegligence.[4][5][6]
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Stockton 1969–1979 | Succeeded by |
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