Christopher Joseph Weldon

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The Most Rev. Christopher Joseph Weldon
Bishop emeritus of Springfield in Massachusetts
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
SeeSpringfield in Massachusetts
In officeMarch 24, 1950 – October 15, 1977
PredecessorThomas Michael O'Leary
SuccessorJoseph Francis Maguire
Orders
OrdinationSeptember 21, 1929
ConsecrationMarch 24, 1950
Personal details
Born(1905-09-06)September 6, 1905
New York, New York
DiedMarch 19, 1982(1982-03-19) (aged 76)
Springfield, Massachusetts

Christopher Joseph Weldon (September 6, 1905 – March 19, 1982) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts from 1950 to 1977.

Biography[]

Christopher Weldon was born in the Bronx section of New York City to Patrick and Mary (née Dwyer) Weldon.[1] After graduating from P.S. 9 in 1918, he then studied at the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Quebec, Canada until 1924, when he returned to the United States and entered St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers.[1] He was ordained to the priesthood on September 21, 1929, at St. Patrick's Cathedral.[2]

Weldon completed his graduate studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.[3] He served as a curate at St. John the Evangelist Church in White Plains and at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mount Kisco.[3] From 1931 to 1935, Weldon was spiritual director at the Newman School in Lakewood, New Jersey.[1] He was a curate at St. John Chrysostom Church (1935–1936) and at Blessed Sacrament Church (1936–1942) in New York.[1] During World War II, he was a chaplain in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946.[3] He then returned to New York, where he became master of ceremonies to Cardinal Francis Spellman.[1] Serving as executive director of Catholic Charities from 1947 to 1950, he was raised to the rank of a Papal Chamberlain in 1947 and a Domestic Prelate in 1948.[1]

On January 28, 1950, Weldon was appointed the fourth Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts by Pope Pius XII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following March 24 from Cardinal Spellman, with Archbishop Richard Cushing and Bishop Stephen Joseph Donahue serving as co-consecrators.[2] During his tenure, Weldon oversaw the construction of Cathedral High School, Our Lady of Lourdes School in Springfield, added a wing to Farren Memorial Hospital in Montague, and built Mont Marie, the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield.[3] He erected 10 new parishes, and constructed 11 new churches and several parish centers.[3] He established a center for the Hispanic apostolate in Springfield, and a diocesan newspaper in 1954.[3] He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, and served as president of Elms College from 1958 to 1977.[3]

After 27 years as bishop, Weldon resigned on October 15, 1977.[2] He later died at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, aged 76.[4]

In September 2018, a Diocesan Review Board notified Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski that it had found an alleged story of sexual abuse by Weldon credible, citing a resident of Chicopee who had said such abuse had occurred to him as a child. The Review Board would later split, with several members saying that the victim did not name Weldon directly, while three others present maintained they had witnessed otherwise; in June 2019 Rozanski met with the alleged victim, saying he found the allegations "deeply troubling".[5][6] In June 2020, an investigation by retired Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis found the claim "to be unequivocally credible."[7]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Curtis, Georgina Pell; Elder, Benedict (1961). "Weldon, Most Rev. Christopher Joseph". The American Catholic Who's Who, Vol. 14. Walter Romig Publishing. p. 473.
  2. ^ a b c d "Bishop Christopher Joseph Weldon". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Past Presidents". Elms College. Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
  4. ^ Clark, Alfred E (1982-03-20). "Bishop C.J. Weldon of Massachusetts". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Parnass, Larry (May 29, 2019). "Former bishop not listed as 'credibly accused,' despite diocesan board's finding". Berkshire Eagle. Pittsfield, Mass. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019.
  6. ^ Flynn, Anne-Gerard (June 16, 2019). "Sex abuse claim against late Springfield bishop Christopher Weldon demonstrates challenge victims face". The Republican. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019.
  7. ^ Drake, Rebecca (June 26, 2020). "Abuse allegations against late Springfield, Mass., bishop found credible". National Catholic Reporter.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts
1950–1977 		Succeeded by
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