Edward Cornelius O'Leary
The Most Reverend Edward Cornelius O'Leary | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Portland | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Portland |
| In office | December 18, 1974 – September 27, 1988 |
| Predecessor | Peter Leo Gerety |
| Successor | Joseph John Gerry, O.S.B. |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 15, 1946 |
| Consecration | January 25, 1971 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 21, 1920 Bangor, Maine |
| Died | April 2, 2002 (aged 81) Portland, Maine |
| Previous post(s) | Auxiliary Bishop of Portland (1971–1974) |
Ordination history of Edward Cornelius O'Leary | |||
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Edward Cornelius O'Leary (August 21, 1920 – April 2, 2002) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Portland, Maine in 1974–1988.
Biography[]
Edward O'Leary was born in Bangor, Maine, and studied at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, from where he obtained his bachelor's degree.[1] He attended St. Paul's Seminary in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, there earning a Licentiate of Sacred Theology.[1] Returning to Maine, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Edward McCarthy on June 15, 1946.[2]
O'Leary was a curate at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception before serving at Sacred Heart Church of Portland and at St. Margaret's Church in Old Orchard Beach.[1] He was later named chancellor of the Diocese of Portland, and a Domestic Prelate by Pope John XXIII in 1959.[1] He was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brunswick from 1967 to 1971.[3]
On November 16, 1970, O'Leary was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Portland and Titular Bishop of Moglaena by Pope Paul VI.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on January 25, 1971 from Bishop Peter Leo Gerety, with Bishops Bernard Joseph Flanagan and Lawrence Graves serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.[2] Following the promotion of Bishop Gerety to Archbishop of Newark in April 1974, O'Leary was named to succeed him as the ninth Bishop of Portland on October 16, 1974.[2] He was formally installed on December 18 of that year.[2]
During his tenure, O'Leary was forced to address the problems of an increasing population but a decline in priestly vocations.[4] He encouraged the greater involvement of laity and women in church administration, and developed a system of parish councils.[1] The Portland Diocese also joined the Maine Council of Churches during this time.[4] O'Leary took frequent public stands on a number of social issues of importance to the Church, endorsing a referendum on pornography and opposing the Maine Equal Rights Amendment (which he believed would enforce taxpayer-funded abortions).[1] He also targeted AIDS victims for the Church's social services program.[1] It was also customary for Bishop O'Leary to visit all the hospitals every Christmas Day.[citation needed]
Last years and death[]
After fourteen years as bishop, O'Leary retired due to health reasons on September 27, 1988.[2] He later died at age 81. He was brother of the sister-in-law of Bishop Thomas Vose Daily.[5] He remained Bishop Emeritus of Portland until his death on April 2, 2002.[2]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "Most Rev. Edward C. O'Leary, D.D." Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "Bishop Edward Cornelius O'Leary". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ "Parish History". St. Charles Borromeo Church. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "History of the Portland Diocese". Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
- ^ Forry, Bill (2008-06-19). "New pastors take over at St. Greg's, St. Ann's". The Dorchester Reporter.
- People from Bangor, Maine
- Roman Catholic bishops of Portland
- 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- College of the Holy Cross alumni
- 1920 births
- 2002 deaths