Thomas Arthur Connolly | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Seattle Titular Bishop of Sila | |
| See | Archdiocese of Seattle |
| Installed | May 18, 1950 as bishop of Seattle June 23, 1951 as archbishop of Seattle |
| Term ended | February 13, 1975 |
| Predecessor | Gerald Shaughnessy |
| Successor | Raymond Hunthausen |
| Other post(s) | Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco (1939–1948) Coadjutor Bishop of Seattle (1948–1950) Titular Bishop of Sila (1939 - 1975) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 11, 1926 |
| Consecration | August 24, 1939 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 5, 1899 |
| Died | April 18, 1991(1991-04-18) (aged 91) Seattle, Washington, US |
| Residence | Connolly House First Hill, Seattle |
| Education | Saint Patrick's Seminary and University Catholic University of America |
| Motto | Justitia et pax (Justice and peace) |
Ordination history of Thomas Arthur Connolly | |||||||||||
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Thomas Arthur Connolly (October 5, 1899 – April 18, 1991) was anAmerican Catholic prelate who served as the fifth Bishop and firstArchbishop of Seattle from 1950 to 1975. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of San Francisco from 1939 to 1950.
Connolly supported thecivil rights movement,ecumenical programs, and labor rights issues. He also attended theSecond Vatican Council.[1]
Thomas Connolly was born on October 5, 1899, inSan Francisco,California, to Thomas and Catherine (née Gilsenan) Connolly.[2] He studied atSt. Patrick Seminary inMenlo Park, California.
Connolly wasordained to the priesthood by ArchbishopEdward Hanna for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on June 11, 1926.[3] After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Connolly as acurate at St. Rose Parish inSanta Rosa, California, and St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish inSausalito, California.[2] In 1930, Connolly was sent to Washington, D.C., to attend theCatholic University of America, obtaining aDoctor of Canon Law degree in 1932.[2]
After his return to California, Hanna named Connolly as his secretary in 1934 and aschancellor of the archdiocese in 1935.[2] He was named adomestic prelate byPope Pius XI in 1936, andpastor ofMission San Francisco de Asís in San Francisco by the archdiocese in 1939.[2]
On June 10, 1939, Connolly was appointed as anauxiliary bishop of San Francisco andtitular bishop of Sila byPope Pius XII.[3] He received hisepiscopalconsecration on August 24, 1939, from ArchbishopJohn Mitty, with BishopsRobert Armstrong andThomas Gorman serving asco-consecrators.[3]
In 1941, Connolly was named vicar delegate to the Catholicchaplains serving theUS Army and theUS Navy in World War II along thePacific Coast of the United States.[2]
Connolly was namedcoadjutor bishop of Seattle by Pius XII on February 28, 1948,[3] with immediate right of succession to BishopGerald Shaughnessy, who had been in failing health for several years. Upon Shaughnessy's death on May 18, 1950, Connolly automatically became the fifth bishop of Seattle.[3] When the Vatican elevated the diocese to anarchdiocese on June 23, 1951, Connolly became its firstarchbishop.[3]
During his tenure, Connolly became known as a "brick and mortar bishop" for his construction of hundreds of Catholic facilities to accommodate thepost World War II population growth in the archdiocese.[4] He renovatedSt. James Cathedral; established 43 new parishes; and built over 350 churches, schools, rectories, convents, parish halls and religious education centers.[5] The Vatican named Connolly asassistant at the pontifical throne in 1959.[2] Connolly attended all four sessions of theSecond Vatican Council in Rome between 1962 and 1965.[4] He was an outspoken supporter of theAmerican civil rights movement, ecumenism, andanti-abortion rights issues.[4]
On February 13, 1975,[3]Pope Paul VI accepted Connolly's resignation as archbishop of Seattle. Thomas Connolly died on April 18, 1991, in Seattle.[5]
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