Thomas Joseph McDonough

Thomas Joseph McDonough (December 5, 1911 – August 4, 1998) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia (1960–1967) and as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky (1967–1981).

Biography

Early life and ministry

McDonough was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Michael Francis and Mary Margaret (Nolan) McDonough. After graduating from West Philadelphia Catholic High School, he studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Hugh L. Lamb on May 26, 1938.^[1] In 1941 he earned a Doctor of Canon Law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was transferred to the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida, where he served as pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Loretto (1942–1943) and rector of the Cathedral of St. Augustine (1943–1945).^[2] He also served as chancellor (1944–1947) and vicar general (1947–1957) of the diocese.^[3]

Auxiliary Bishop of St. Augustine

On March 10, 1947, McDonough was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida and Titular Bishop of Thenae by Pope Pius XII.^[1] He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 30 from Cardinal Dennis Joseph Dougherty, with Bishops Emmet M. Walsh and Joseph Carroll McCormick serving as co-consecrators.^[1] At age 35, he was then the youngest member of the American hierarchy.^[3] During his tenure as an auxiliary, he was responsible for a great deal of land purchasing, fund-raising and church building, and worked with African Americans.^[3]

Bishop of Savannah

McDonough was named Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah, Georgia, on January 2, 1957, and later succeeded Bishop Gerald O'Hara as the tenth Bishop of Savannah on March 2, 1960.^[3] He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, and signed the pioneering civil rights "Pentecost Statement" of the bishops of the Atlanta Province, condemning racial discrimination as contrary to Christian principles.^[4]

Archbishop of Louisville

Pope Paul VI promoted McDonough to Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, on March 1, 1967.^[1] A self-described "Vatican II bishop," he implemented the Council's reforms and guided the Archdiocese through an intensive period of activity and change.^[5] His tenure saw advances made in liturgical renewal, ecumenism, and lay involvement.^[6] After fourteen years as Archbishop, he resigned on September 29, 1981.^[1]

Reaction to Roe v. Wade

On January 22, 1973, when the Supreme Court issued the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, McDonough issued a statement calling the day "Blue Monday" and saying that it was "overtly a violation of individual rights. It comes at a time too when efforts have been made to close down the war in Vietnam and to save the lives of all the people who have been endangered by that war. Now we hear the highest court in the land has declared an assault upon the life of the unborn child."^[7]

Death

McDonough died in Darby, Pennsylvania, aged 86.^[8] He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Louisville.^[9]

See also

References

External links

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
• Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine

Archdiocese of Louisville Ordinaries Bishops Benedict Joseph Flaget John Baptist Mary David Benedict Joseph Flaget Martin John Spalding Peter Joseph Lavialle William George McCloskey Denis O'Donaghue John Alexander Floersh Archbishops John Alexander Floersh Thomas Joseph McDonough Thomas Cajetan Kelly Joseph Edward Kurtz Affiliated bishops Guy Ignatius Chabrat Michael Heiss Charles Garrett Maloney John McGill James Ryan John Lancaster Spalding James Kendrick Williams Churches Cathedral Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville Parishes: Education High schools (boys) St. Francis DeSales High School, Louisville St. Xavier High School, Louisville Trinity High School, St. Matthews High schools (girls) Assumption High School, Louisville Mercy Academy, Louisville Presentation Academy, Louisville Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville High schools, coeducational Bethlehem High School, Bardstown Holy Cross High School, Louisville Special needs school Pitt Academy, Louisville Catholicism Portal

Diocese of Savannah Ordinaries Bishops Francis Xavier Gartland John Barry Augustin Verot Ignatius Persico William Hickley Gross Thomas Albert Andrew Becker Benjamin Joseph Keiley Michael Joseph Keyes Gerald Patrick Aloysius O'Hara Thomas Joseph McDonough Gerard Louis Frey Raymond W. Lessard J. Kevin Boland Gregory John Hartmayer Churches Cathedral Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Education High Schools Aquinas High School Benedictine Military School Mount de Sales Academy Pacelli High School St. Vincent's Academy Catholicism Portal

Diocese of St. Augustine Bishops Augustin Verot John Moore William John Kenny Michael Joseph Curley Patrick Joseph Barry Joseph Patrick Hurley Paul Francis Tanner John J. Snyder Victor Galeone Felipe de Jesús Estévez Churches Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine Parishes Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Jacksonville Education High Schools Bishop John J. Snyder High School, Jacksonville Bishop Kenny High School, Jacksonville St. Francis High School, Gainesville St. Joseph Academy, St. Augustine Former college Saint Joseph College of Florida Priests Joseph Keith Symons Miscellany Florida Catholic Catholicism Portal

Archdiocese of Philadelphia Ordinaries Bishops Michael Francis Egan, OFM Henry Conwell Francis Patrick Kenrick Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, CSsR Archbishops James Frederick Wood Patrick John Ryan Edmond Francis Prendergast Dennis Joseph Cardinal Dougherty John Francis Cardinal O'Hara, CSC John Joseph Cardinal Krol Anthony Joseph Cardinal Bevilacqua Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Auxiliary Bishops, current Michael J. Fitzgerald John J. McIntyre Timothy C. Senior Auxiliary Bishops, former Cletus Joseph Benjamin Michael Francis Burbidge Joseph R. Cistone Michael Joseph Crane Edward Peter Cullen Louis A. DeSimone Francis James Furey John Joseph Graham Edward Hughes Hugh L. Lamb Martin Nicholas Lohmuller Robert P. Maginnis Joseph Francis Martino Joseph Carroll McCormick John Joseph McCort Gerald Vincent McDevitt Joseph P. McFadden Joseph Mark McShea Gerald Patrick O'Hara Francis B. Schulte Daniel Edward Thomas Thomas Jerome Welsh Churches Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul Parish churches Immaculate Conception Old St. Joseph Old St. Mary St. Adalbert St. Agatha and St. James St. Anne St. Augustine St. Basil the Great St. Cyprian St. Donato St. Francis de Sales St. Joachim St. Nicholas of Tolentine St. William Chapels and shrines National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa National Shrine of St. John Neumann Education Seminary St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Higher education Cabrini College Chestnut Hill College Gwynedd Mercy University Holy Family University Immaculata University La Salle University Neumann University Rosemont College Saint Joseph's University Villanova University High schools Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Archbishop John Carroll High School Archbishop Prendergast High School Archbishop Ryan High School Archbishop Wood Catholic High School Bishop McDevitt High School Bishop Shanahan High School Cardinal O'Hara High School Conwell-Egan Catholic High School Country Day School of the Sacred Heart Devon Preparatory School Father Judge High School Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Holy Ghost Preparatory School John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School La Salle College High School Lansdale Catholic High School Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls Malvern Preparatory School Mercy Vocational High School Merion Mercy Academy Monsignor Bonner High School Mount Saint Joseph Academy Nazareth Academy High School Pope John Paul II High School Roman Catholic High School for Boys Saint Basil Academy Saint Joseph's Preparatory School Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School, St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls Villa Joseph Marie High School Villa Maria Academy Priests Living Edward Joseph Adams Herbert Bevard Michael Joseph Bransfield Francis Xavier DiLorenzo Joseph Anthony Galante James Patrick Green Joseph A. Pepe Nelson J. Perez Deceased Francis Brennan Edwin Byrne George Aloysius Carrell, SJ Hubert James Cartwright Joseph M. Corrigan Joseph Thomas Daley Edmond John Fitzmaurice John Edmund Fitzmaurice John Patrick Foley Francis Xavier Gartland Daniel James Gercke Ignatius Frederick Horstmann John Joseph Hughes Francis Edward Hyland Thomas Francis Kennedy Philip R. McDevitt Thomas Joseph McDonough Thomas McGovern Eugene J. McGuinness John Joseph O'Connor William O'Hara Jeremiah F. Shanahan John W. Shanahan David B. Thompson Miscellany Archdiocesan Boy Choir St. Francesca Xavier Cabrini, M.S.C. Catholic League The Catholic Standard & Times St. Katharine Drexel, S.B.S. Sexual abuse scandal Catholicism Portal