William Joseph Hafey

William Joseph Hafey (March 19, 1888 – May 12, 1954) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh (1925–1937) and Bishop of Scranton (1938–1954).

Biography

Early life and education

William Hafey was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts, to James and Catherine (née Mulcahy) Hafey.^[1] He attended Holy Cross College in Worcester, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1909.^[1] From 1909 to 1910, he studied at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.^[1] He then attended Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.^[1]

Ordination and ministry

Hafey was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1914.^[2] He then served as a curate at St. Joseph's Church in Baltimore until 1920, when he became chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.^[1]

Bishop of Raleigh

On April 6, 1925, Hafey was appointed the first Bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina, by Pope Pius XI.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 24 from Archbishop Michael Joseph Curley, with Bishops Thomas Michael O'Leary and Michael Joseph Keyes, S.M., serving as co-consecrators.^[2]

Bishop of Scranton

Bishop Hafey was named Coadjutor Bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Titular Bishop of Appia on October 2, 1937.^[2] He later succeeded the late Thomas Charles O'Reilly as the fourth Bishop of Scranton on March 25, 1938.^[2] He created new parishes, multiplied the number of buildings, and increased the number of priests and religious.^[3] He was also dedicated to social needs such as education, health care, and youth activities.^[3]

He later died at age 66. A former Hazleton high school was named Bishop Hafey High School in his memory.

In 1958, the newly established Knights of Columbus Bishop Hafey Council 4507, of High Point, North Carolina, was named in memory of Bishop William Joseph Hafey. At that time, High Point was part of the Diocese of Raleigh. Since its creation in 1971, the Diocese of Charlotte has included High Point.

See also

References

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton

Diocese of Scranton Ordinaries Bishops William O'Hara Michael John Hoban Thomas Charles O'Reilly William Joseph Hafey Jerome Daniel Hannan Joseph Carroll McCormick John Joseph O'Connor James Clifford Timlin Joseph Francis Martino Joseph Charles Bambera Auxiliary Bishops Andrew James Louis Brennan Martin John O'Connor Henry Theophilus Klonowski James Clifford Timlin Francis X. DiLorenzo John M. Dougherty Diocesan priests who became bishops Joseph R. Kopacz Churches Cathedral St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton Basilica Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann, Scranton Parishes St. Gabriel's Catholic Parish Complex, Hazleton St. Maria Goretti Church, Laflin Parishes, former St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Wilkes-Barre Education Higher education King's College Marywood University Misericordia University University of Scranton High schools Holy Cross High School, Dunmore Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre Notre Dame High School, East Stroudsburg Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School, Williamsport High schools, closed South Scranton Catholic High School Miscellany St. Stanislaus Institute, Newport Township Catholicism Portal

Diocese of Raleigh Ordinaries Bishops William Joseph Hafey Eugene J. McGuinness Vincent Stanislaus Waters F. Joseph Gossman Michael Francis Burbidge Churches Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica Basilica Shrine of St. Mary Education High Schools John Paul II Catholic High School Cardinal Gibbons High School St. Thomas More Academy Elementary & Middle Schools Cathedral School St. Mary Catholic School St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic School Catholicism Portal