Paul Francis Tanner (January 15, 1905—July 29, 1994) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of St. Augustine from 1968 to 1979.
Paul Tanner was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Frank J. and Laura Margaret (née McGowan) Tanner.[1] He and his family later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he attended Marquette University.[2] He began his studies for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and continued at St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee.[1] He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 30, 1931.[3] He earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America in 1933.[1]
Returning to Milwaukee, Tanner served as a chaplain and professor of religion at St. Mary's Provincial Motherhouse and as a curate at Immaculate Conception Church.[2] From 1936 to 1941, he was the Archbishop's secretary for Catholic Action and Catechetics.[1] He then joined the National Catholic Welfare Conference, where he served as assistant director (1941-1942) and director (1942-1945) of the Youth Department.[1] He was assistant general secretary of the NCWC from 1945 to 1958, and was raised to the rank of Papal Chamberlain in 1948 and a Domestic Prelate in 1954.[1]
From 1958 to 1968, Tanner served as general secretary of the NCWC.[2] In this position, he executed and coordinated the policies set by the body of the nation's Catholic bishops. On October 18, 1965, Tanner was appointed Titular Bishop of Lamasba by Pope Paul VI.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 21 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, with Archbishops William Edward Cousins and Patrick O'Boyle serving as co-consecrators.[3] He was the first priest honored with the episcopal rank while holding the general secretary office.[2]
On February 15, 1968, Paul VI named Tanner as the seventh Bishop of St. Augustine, Florida.[3] His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. Augustine on March 27, 1968, and was attended by the likes of Archbishops Luigi Raimondi and Coleman Carroll, representatives of the Protestant and Jewish communities, and Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr.[4] Following the unexpected death of Pope John Paul I, Tanner reacted with "shock and surprise, even horror...It's a reminder that we are just one heartbeat away from eternity."[5] He resigned as Bishop of St. Augustine on April 21, 1979.[3]
Tanner later died at All Saints Nursing Home in Jacksonville, aged 89.[2] He is buried at St. Mary Parish Cemetery in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.[2]
| Preceded by Joseph Patrick Hurley |
Bishop of St. Augustine 1968—1979 |
Succeeded by John J. Snyder |