| The Most Reverend David Michael O'Connell CM JCD |
|
|---|---|
| Bishop of Trenton | |
| Province | Newark |
| See | Trenton |
| Enthroned |
June 4, 2010 (as Coadjutor Bishop) December 1, 2010 (Became Bishop of Trenton) |
| Reign ended | incumbent |
| Other posts | President of The Catholic University of America (1998-2010) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 29, 1982 |
| Consecration | July 30, 2010 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 21, 1955 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Residence | Trenton, New Jersey |
| Styles of David M. O'Connell |
|
|---|---|
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
David Michael O'Connell (born April 21, 1955) is the American Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Trenton in New Jersey.
He was the 14th President of the Catholic University of America from 1998 until 2010.[1]
On June 4, 2010, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton by Pope Benedict XVI.[2]
Upon the acceptance of Bishop John Mortimer Smith's resignation for reasons of age by Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday, December 1, 2010, Coadjutor Bishop O'Connell automatically succeeded Bishop Smith as the tenth Bishop of Trenton.
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David O'Connell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Langhorne.[3] He attended St. Joseph Preparatory High School in Princeton, New Jersey, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Niagara University in Lewiston, New York, in 1978.[4] He then studied at Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree (1981) and a Master of Theology degree in Moral Theology (1983).[4]
O'Connell was ordained a priest of the Congregation of the Mission on May 29, 1982.[5] His first assignment was as a teacher at Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, where he also served as Director of Student Activities from 1983 to 1985.[1] He continued his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., receiving a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1987.[1] From 1987 to 1990, he was registrar and an assistant professor of canon law, theology, and philosophy at Mary Immaculate Seminary.[2] He earned a doctorate in canon law from the Catholic University in 1990.[1] He also served as an ecclesiastical judge and canonical consultant to the Diocese of Harrisburg (1987–98), Diocese of Birmingham (1987–93), and Diocese of Scranton (1988–98).[4]
Between 1990 and 1998, O'Connell served at St. John's University in New York City in various capacities.[2] He was associate dean (1990–91) before serving as professor of theology and religious studies, academic dean, and dean of faculty (1991–98).[4] He was also associate vice president from 1995 to 1998, and assistant legal counsel from 1996 to 1998.[1] From 1994 to 1998, he served as Acting Vice President and Dean of Niagara University.[2]
O'Connell became President of CUA on March 10, 1998. He also became a Consultor, Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education in 2005 and was appointed as the John Joseph Keane University Professor of CUA in 2006.
On October 2, 2009 O'Connell announced that he was stepping down as President of the University in August 2010.
On June 4, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI named him co-adjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton (NJ) http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100605/NEWS/100605002/Diocese+of+Trenton+gets+new+bishop
According to CUA, "He has been a nationally recognized spokesperson for and supporter of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and its full implementation within the Catholic academy."[6] Under O'Connell's tenure, CUA remains under censure by the American Association of University Professors, and O'Connell has not sought to remove this sanction.
In 1998 senior members of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States needed to address new requirements from the Vatican for higher education and a requirement that educators take an oath of fidelity to these teachings. Although many opposed the oath, O'Connell took the oath on the final day of the conference.[7]
On June 4, 2010, O'Connell was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton by Pope Benedict XVI.[5] As Coadjutor Bishop, he eventually succeeded Bishop John Mortimer Smith on Wednesday, December 1, 2010; Smith having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 on June 23, 2010.[2] O'Connell received his episcopal consecration on July 30 from Bishop Smith, with Archbishops John Joseph Myers and Donald Wuerl serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton.[8] He chose as his episcopal motto: Ministrare non ministrari, meaning, "To serve and not to be served" (Mark 10:45).[3]
| Preceded by Brother Patrick Ellis, F.S.C. |
President of CUA 1998–2010 |
Succeeded by John H. Garvey |
| Preceded by John Mortimer Smith |
Bishop of Trenton 2010–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |