Thomas Langdon Grace

Thomas Langdon Grace, O.P., (November 14, 1814 – February 22, 1897) was an American prelate who served as the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Life

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Grace entered the seminary at Cincinnati in 1829, and, the following year, was admitted to the Dominican Order at the Priory of St. Rose in Kentucky, where he made his religious profession on 12 June 1831. In 1837 he went to Rome for further studies, where he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Patrizi on 21 December 1839. After his return to the United States in 1844 he ministered first in Kentucky, and afterwards for 13 years in Memphis, Tennessee.^[1]

Pope Pius IX appointed Grace the Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Paul in Minnesota on January 21, 1859, for which he was consecrated on July 24, 1859. He was installed as bishop on July 29, 1859 after a year and a half long period of sede vacante in that see. A capable administrator, he served to organize the diocese, focusing on education and service both to the Native Americans of the region as well as to the newly-arriving immigrants.^[2]

Grace resigned on July 31, 1884, succeeded by John Ireland. Shortly after that, he was named the titular bishop of Mennith. On September 24, 1889, in recognition of his service as bishop, he was appointed to the titular see of Siuna, with the personal title of archbishop.^[3][1]

Upon his death, Grace was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Saint Paul.^[4]

Legacy

Totino-Grace High School, a Roman Catholic high school in Fridley, Minnesota, bears his name.

Notes

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Ordinaries Bishops Joseph Crétin Thomas Grace Archbishops John Ireland Austin Dowling John Gregory Murray William O. Brady Leo Binz John Roach Harry Joseph Flynn John Clayton Nienstedt Coadjutor Archbishop Leo Christopher Byrne Auxiliary Bishops John Jeremiah Lawler James J. Byrne Leonard Philip Cowley Gerald Francis O'Keefe James P. Shannon John Robert Roach Raymond Alphonse Lucker Paul Vincent Dudley John Francis Kinney William Henry Bullock James Richard Ham Robert James Carlson Joseph Charron Lawrence Harold Welsh Frederick F. Campbell Richard Pates Lee A. Piché Andrew H. Cozzens Churches Cathedrals Cathedral of Saint Paul Basilica of Saint Mary Parishes Guardian Angels Church, Chaska Saint Peter's Church, Mendota Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis Church of Saint Stephen, Minneapolis Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague Church of Saint Mary, New Trier Church of St. Michael, St. Michael Church of the Assumption, St. Paul Church of St. Agnes, St. Paul Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul Church of St. Casimir, St. Paul Saint Mary's Church of the Purification, Shakopee Church of the Annunciation, Webster Township Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wheatland Township Historic Church of St. Hubertus, Chanhassen Chapel Our Lady of Victory Chapel Education Higher Education St. Catherine University University of St. Thomas Seminaries St. John Vianney College Seminary Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity High Schools Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Bethlehem Academy, Faribault Chesterton Academy, Edina Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis Hill-Murray School, Maplewood Holy Family Catholic High School, Victoria Providence Academy, Plymouth Saint Agnes High School, St. Paul Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights Totino-Grace High School, Fridley Priests Joseph Francis Busch Peter F. Christensen Alexander Christie James Louis Connolly Timothy J. Corbett James Albert Duffy Hilary Baumann Hacker Patrick Richard Heffron James Keane John M. LeVoir James McGolrick Thomas O'Gorman James O'Reilly Francis Joseph Schenk Alphonse James Schladweiler John Shanley Paul Sirba John Stariha Thomas Anthony Welch Catholicism Portal