John Stephen Michaud

John Stephen Michaud (November 24, 1843 – December 22, 1908) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Burlington from 1899 until his death in 1908.

Biography[]

Michaud was born in Burlington, Vermont, to Stephen and Catherine (née Rogan) Michaud.^[1] He attended the school run by Rev. Jeremiah O'Callaghan, the first resident priest of Vermont, and served as an altar boy to the new bishop, Louis De Goesbriand.^[2] Following his father's death in 1847,^{[clarification needed]} he worked in various Burlington lumber industries and later graduated from Bryant and Stratton Commercial College.^[2] In September 1865 he entered the Sulpician-run Montreal College in Quebec, Canada, followed by studies at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts (earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1870) and at St. Joseph's Seminary in Troy, New York.^[1]

Michaud was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edgar Wadhams on June 7, 1873.^[3] He then served in Newport, Albany, Barton and Lowell, where he established the first Catholic churches, including st. Mary Star of the Sea in Newport.^[2] After being briefly felled by smallpox and given further pastoral responsibilities, Michaud was recalled to Burlington in 1879 to handle the construction of St. Joseph's Orphanage, completed in 1883.^[2] He concurrently did pastoral work in Bennington, North Bennington, Fairfield, Underhill and Charlotte. He was later named pastor of St. Stephen's Church^[4] in Winooski and, after a period of rest spent in Europe, of St. Frances de Sales Church^[5] in Bennington (October 1885).^[2]

On May 4, 1892, Michaud was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Burlington and Titular Bishop of Modra by Pope Leo XIII.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 29 from Archbishop John Joseph Williams, with Bishops Denis Mary Bradley and Henry Gabriels serving as co-consecrators.^[3] He succeeded the late Bishop De Goesbriand as the second Bishop of Burlington upon the latter's death on November 3, 1899.^[3] During his tenure, Michaud completed the Cathedral Church, built the Fanny Allen Hospital and staffed it with the Religious Hospitalers of St. Joseph.^[6] The Sisters of Charity of Providence operated another new hospital in St. Johnsbury; the Loretto Home for the Aged in Rutland was served by the Sisters of St. Joseph. In 1904, the Bishop invited the dedicated Society of Saint Edmund to establish St. Michael's College at Winooski Park. In 1905, the Daughters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus came to Newport where they opened a mission to serve as teachers, nurses and catechists for the Northeast Kingdom. During his tenure, Michaud expanded the number of churches in Vermont from 72 to 94.^[6] There were 75,000 Catholics, 102 priests, 286 religious sisters, and 20 parochial schools serving some 7000 students.^[6]

Michaud later died in New York, aged 63.^[1] He is buried at Resurrection Park in South Burlington.^[1]

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