William Edward Cousins (August 20, 1902 – September 14, 1988) was an Americanprelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Peoria (1952-1958) and later Archbishop of Milwaukee (1958-1977).
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Cousins studied at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and was a member of the first graduating class of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal George Mundelein on April 27, 1927.[1]
Following his ordination, Cousins served as an assistant pastor at St. Bernard Church for five years and then at Holy Name Cathedral for a year.[2] In 1933, he was appointed director of the Archdiocesan Mission Band, a group of priests who conducted missions throughout Chicago. He became pastor of St. Columbanus Church in 1946.
Episcopal career[]
On December 17, 1948, Cousins was appointed auxiliary bishop of Chicago and titular bishop of Forma by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on March 7, 1949 from Cardinal Samuel Stritch, with Bishops John Boylan and Albert Zuroweste serving as co-consecrators. Three years later, Cousins was appointed the fourth Bishop of Peoria on May 21, 1952. He was installed at St. Mary's Cathedral on the following July 2. During his tenure, he established five new parishes and six new grade schools.[1]
Archbishop of Milwaukee[]
Cousins was appointed the eighth Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Pope John XXIII on December 18, 1958. From 1962 to 1965, he attended the Second Vatican Council, during which he sat on the Commission on Communications Media and on the Lay Apostolate.[3]
During the civil rights movement, Cousins was pressured to respond to the activities of his priests, particularly Fr. James Groppi, who led many civil rights marches and protests. In 1967, in response to many Milwaukee Catholics' dissatisfaction with Groppi, the Archbishop stated his support for open housing and Groppi's other objectives, but rejected the priest's tactics.
Archbishop Cousins retired on September 17, 1977, after nineteen years of service. He died in Milwaukee at age 86.
Handling of Sex Abuse Cases[]
In recent years, allegations have surfaced that Cousins was involved in the cover-up of child sexual abuse cases in the Milwaukee diocese. One notable case was that of Fr. Lawrence Murphy, whom Cousins allowed to relocate to the Diocese of Superior in 1974 after he received reports that Murphy sexually abused children.[4]
In March 2019, it was announced that the name of Cousins, along with that of his successor Rembert Weakland, would be removed from buildings in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.[5] On March 22, 2019, the Archbishop Cousins Catholic Center was renamed the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center.[6]
