Joseph Thomas McGucken

Joseph Thomas McGucken (March 13, 1902 – October 6, 1983) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Sacramento (1957–62) and Archbishop of San Francisco (1962-77).

Biography

Joseph McGucken was born in Los Angeles, California, to Joseph A. and Mary Agnes (née Flynn) McGucken.^[1] He attended Polytechnic High School in his native city. He studied engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles for two years before beginning his studies for the priesthood at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park.^[2] He continued his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, from where he obtained a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1928.^[1] While in Rome, he was ordained a priest on January 15, 1928.^[3]

Following his return to Los Angeles, he served as secretary to Archbishop John Joseph Cantwell from 1929 to 1938.^[1] He was named a papal chamberlain by Pope Pius XI in 1937, and served as chancellor of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 1938 to 1948.^[1] He was raised by Pope Pius XII to the rank of domestic prelate in 1939.^[1] On February 4, 1941, McGucken was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles and Titular Bishop of Sanavus by Pope Pius XII.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following March 19 from Archbishop Cantwell, with Bishops Daniel James Gercke and Philip George Scher serving as co-consecrators.^[3] In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor at St. Andrew's Church in Pasadena (1944–55) and vicar general of the archdiocese (1948–55).^[1]

After 27 years as a priest and bishop in Los Angeles, he was transferred by Pope Pius XII to Sacramento, California in October 1955 to serve as Coadjutor Bishop of Sacramento. The St. Andrew's parish gave Bishop McGucken a gala farewell celebration at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, with a performance by Dennis Day, several choirs, and an Army color guard.^[4] Bishop of Sacramento Robert John Armstrong died January 14, 1957. Pope Pius XII appointed Joseph T. McGucken Bishop of Sacramento. His episcopate in Sacramento lasted until 1962, and in his five years as Bishop, he authorized, built or approved for development nine parishes, three high schools, 33 new church buildings and one minor seminary.^[5]

Cathedral of St. Mary, became known as "McGucken's Maytag"

After the 1961 death of Archbishop John J. Mitty, Pope John XXIII divided the Archdiocese of San Francisco and in early 1962 created the suffragan sees of Oakland, Stockton and Santa Rosa.

McGucken's former classmate from the Pontifical North American College, Floyd Lawrence Begin the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, was named by Pope John XXIII, the first bishop of Oakland. Auxiliary bishop of San Francisco Hugh A. Donohoe was appointed by John XXIII, first Bishop of Stockton. Chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Monsignor Leo T. Maher was elevated to episcopal rank by John XXIII, then, appointed the first bishop of Santa Rosa.

In February 1962, McGucken was appointed Archbishop of San Francisco; he was installed on April 3, 1962. He served 15 years as the Archbishop of San Francisco, retiring in 1977. During his first year as Archbishop, the existing St. Mary's Cathedral, built in 1891, was destroyed by fire. Archbishop McGucken gathered his consultors to begin the process of planning and constructing a new cathedral.

Architectural critic Allen Temko advocated a bold, new cathedral that would reflect San Francisco's status as a major international urban center. Archbishop McGucken added two internationally known architects to his team, Italian-born Pietro Belluschi, Dean of the School of Architecture of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who was placed in charge of designs, and Pier-Luigi Nervi, an engineering genius from Rome, who took over structural concerns. Archbishop McGucken was in Rome for the Second Vatican Council while the new cathedral was designed.

The strikingly modern design which was presented was met with high praise and has been called the "first cathedral truly of our time and in harmony with the liturgical reforms of the Council."^[6] Some gave the new cathedral the nicknames, "Our Lady of Maytag" or "McGucken's Maytag" due to the structure's striking resemblance to a washing machine agitator.^[7]

McGucken's vault at Holy Cross

In 1966, McGucken publicly voiced his support for the efforts of Cesar Chávez to organize farmworkers in California's vineyards, leading one vineyard spokesman to warn that "the Church leaders had better start looking for other financial means to carry out their radical theories."^[8]

McGucken retired in 1977 and assumed the title of Archbishop Emeritus and died in October 1983. He is buried in the Archbishops' Crypt at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.

See also

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco

Notes

Episcopal succession

Diocese of Sacramento Bishops Ordinaries Patrick Manogue Thomas Grace Patrick Joseph James Keane Robert John Armstrong Joseph Thomas McGucken Alden John Bell Francis Quinn William Weigand Jaime Soto Auxiliaries Patrick Joseph James Keane John Stephen Cummins Alphonse Gallegos Richard John Garcia Myron Joseph Cotta Churches Cathedral Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Parishes Sacred Heart Church, Alturas Sacred Heart Church, Red Bluff Former St. Joseph's Church, Sawyers Bar Education Higher Education University of Sacramento High Schools Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento Cristo Rey High School, Sacramento Jesuit High School, Carmichael Mercy High School, Red Bluff St. Francis High School, Sacramento St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School, Vallejo Grade School St. Catherine of Siena School, Vallejo Former High Schools Bishop Quinn High School, Palo Cedro Loretto High School, Sacramento St. Stephen Academy, Sacramento Priests Richard Higgins Catholicism Portal

Archdiocese of Los Angeles Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Bishop of Two Californias Francisco García Diego y Moreno Bishop of Monterey Joseph Sadoc Alemany Bishops of Monterey-Los Angeles Thaddeus Amat y Brusi Francisco Mora y Borrell George Thomas Montgomery Thomas James Conaty John Joseph Cantwell Bishop of Los Angeles-San Diego John Joseph Cantwell Archbishops of Los Angeles John Joseph Cantwell James Francis Cardinal McIntyre Timothy Cardinal Manning Roger Cardinal Mahony José Horacio Gómez Auxiliary bishops, current Thomas John Curry Gerald Eugene Wilkerson Edward W. Clark Oscar Azarcon Solis Alexander Salazar Joseph Brennan David O'Connell Robert Barron Auxiliary bishops, former Juan Alfredo Arzube Alden John Bell Stephen Blaire Joseph Patrick Dougherty Carl Anthony Fisher William Robert Johnson William Levada Joseph Thomas McGucken Donald William Montrose Manuel Duran Moreno Armando Xavier Ochoa Sylvester Donovan Ryan Joseph Martin Sartoris Thaddeus Anthony Shubsda John J. Ward Gabino Zavala George Patrick Ziemann Priests who became bishops Justin F. Rigali Churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Archdiocese Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, former Cathedral of Saint Vibiana Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region Deanery 13 (Westside) Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Pacific Palisades St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica St. Augustine Catholic Church, Culver City St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Brentwood St. Timothy Catholic Church, Los Angeles Church of the Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills St. Ambrose Church, West Hollywood Saint Victor Catholic Church, West Hollywood Deanery 14 (Central LA/Hollywood) Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Hollywood Cathedral Chapel, Los Angeles Christ the King Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Basil Catholic Church, Wilshire St. Brendan Catholic Church, Los Angeles Deanery 15 (Downtown/South) Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles Precious Blood Catholic Church,Los Angeles St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Patrick Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Vincent de Paul Church, Los Angeles Deanery 16 (South LA/Inglewood): Ascension Catholic Church, Los Angeles Spanish Mission La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles Note: This is not a Spanish Mission, but rather, a parish church. San Fernando Pastoral Region Deanery 5 (West San Fernando Valley) St. Cyril of Jerusalem Church and School, Encino Deanery 6 (Crescenta Valley, Glendale and Eagle Rock) Holy Family Catholic Church, Glendale Incarnation Catholic Church and School, Glendale Deanery 7 (Central San Fernando Valley and Burbank) Cathedral of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, Sherman Oaks St. Charles Borromeo Church, North Hollywood St. Finbar Catholic Church and School, Burbank St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, Burbank Deanery 8 (Santa Clarita Valley and Lancaster/Palmdale): Blessed Junipero Serra Catholic Church, Lancaster San Gabriel Pastoral Region Deanery 9 (East LA, Boyle Heights, City Terrace): All Saints Catholic Church, Los Angeles Assumption Catholic Church, Los Angeles Deanery 10 (Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, Monterey Park, Montebello, Alhambra) All Souls Catholic Church, Alhambra Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Pasadena St. Andrew's Catholic Church, Pasadena Mission San Gabriel Parish, San Gabriel Deanery 11 (Arcadia, Covina, Glendora, Monrovia, La Puente): Annunciation Catholic Church, Arcadia Deanery 12 (San Dimas, Claremont, Pomona, Diamond Bar, La Puente, Valinda, Walnut): San Pedro Pastoral Region Deanery 17 (Downey, Compton, Huntington Park, Lynwood): Deanery 18 (Whittier, La Mirada, Pico Rivera, Norwalk): Beatitudes of Our Lord Catholic Church, La Mirada Deanery 19 (South Bay and San Pedro) American Martyrs Catholic Church, Manhattan Beach SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Wilmington Deanery 20 (Long Beach): Santa Barbara Pastoral Region Deanery 1 (Lompoc, Solvang, Santa Maria) La Purisima Mission, Lompoc Mission Santa Inés, Solvang Deanery 2 (Santa Barbara) Santa Barbara Mission, Santa Barbara Deanery 3 (Oxnard, Ventura, Ojai, Fillmore, Santa Paula) Mission San Buenaventura, Ventura Deanery 4 (Simi Valley, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo): Blessed Junipero Serra Catholic Church, Camarillo Education in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Archdiocese Seminaries St. John's Seminary Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles High schools Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School, Harvard Heights Cathedral High School, Los Angeles (Boys) Immaculate Heart High School, Los Feliz (Girls) Loyola High School, Harvard Heights (Boys) Marymount High School, Bel Air (Girls) Notre Dame Academy, Los Angeles (Girls) St. Bernard High School, Playa del Rey St. Mary's Academy, Inglewood (Girls) St. Monica Catholic High School, Santa Monica Verbum Dei High School, Watts (Boys) High schools, closed Daniel Murphy High School, Los Angeles San Fernando Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges: High schools Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, Burbank Bishop Alemany High School, Mission Hills Chaminade High School, West Hills Crespi Carmelite High School, Encino Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, La Cañada Flintridge Holy Family High School, Glendale Louisville High School, Woodland Hills Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks Paraclete High School, Lancaster Providence High School, Burbank St. Francis High School, La Cañada Flintridge St. Genevieve High School, Panorama City San Gabriel Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges: High schools Ramona Convent Secondary School, Alhambra St. Lucy's Priory High School, Glendora Bishop Amat Memorial High School, La Puente Damien High School, La Verne Salesian High School, Los Angeles Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School, Montebello La Salle High School, Pasadena Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena St. Monica Academy, Pasadena Pomona Catholic High School, Pomona San Gabriel Mission High School, San Gabriel Alverno High School, Sierra Madre San Pedro Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges Marymount College, Palos Verdes High schools St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower Queen of Angels Academy, Compton St. Pius X / St. Matthias Academy, Downey Junipero Serra High School, Gardena St. Joseph High School, Lakewood St. Anthony High School, Long Beach Don Bosco High School, Rosemead Mary Star of the Sea High School, San Pedro St. Paul High School, Santa Fe Springs Bishop Montgomery High School, Torrance Santa Barbara Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges St. John's Seminary, Camarillo Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula High schools Bishop Garcia Diego High School, Santa Barbara La Reina High School, Thousand Oaks St. Bonaventure High School, Ventura St. Joseph High School, Santa Maria Santa Clara High School, Oxnard Villanova Preparatory School, Ojai Hospitals and Cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region Hospitals Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica Cemeteries Crypt Mausoleum of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City San Fernando Pastoral Region Hospitals Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Northridge Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, Mission Hills Cemeteries San Fernando Mission Cemetery, San Fernando San Gabriel Pastoral Region Hospitals: Cemeteries Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles San Pedro Pastoral Region Hospitals: Cemeteries: Santa Barbara Pastoral Region Hospitals: Cemeteries: Catholicism Portal