- Michael Tierney (bishop)
-
Most Rev. Michael Tierney Bishop of Hartford Church Roman Catholic Church See Hartford In Office February 22, 1894—October 5, 1908 Predecessor Lawrence Stephen McMahon Successor John Joseph Nilan Orders Ordination May 26, 1866 Consecration February 22, 1894 Personal details Born September 29, 1839
Ballylooby, County Tipperary, IrelandDied October 5, 1908 (aged 69)
Hartford, Connecticut, United StatesMichael Tierney (September 29, 1839—October 5, 1908) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Hartford, Connecticut from 1894 until his death in 1908.
Biography
Michael Tierney was born in Ballylooby, County Tipperary, to John and Judith (née Fitzgerald) Tierney.[1] At age eight he and his parents came to the United States, where they settled at South Norwalk, Connecticut.[2] He studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, Kentucky, and at St. Joseph's Seminary in Troy, New York.[3] He was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1866.[4]
Returning to Connecticut, Tierney was then named chancellor of the Diocese of Hartford and rector of the cathedral.[5] He was then served as pastor of St. Mary of the Star Church in New London until 1872, when he was transferred to St. John's Church in Stamford.[3] He became rector of St. Peter's Church at Hartford in 1877, and later pastor of St. Mary's Church at New Britain in 1883.[5]
On December 2, 1893, Tierney was appointed the sixth Bishop of Hartford by Pope Leo XIII.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on February 22, 1894 from Archbishop John Joseph Williams, with Bishops Matthew Harkins and Thomas Daniel Beaven serving as co-consecrators, at Hartford.[4] During his 14-year-long tenure, Tierney founded a preparatory seminary; St. Mary's Home for the Aged; St. John's Industrial School; the hospitals at Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and Willimantic; and numerous charitable institutions conducted by the Sisters of the Holy Ghost and the Little Sisters of the Poor.[5] He also established a diocesan missionary band to preach retreats to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.[5] At the time of his arrival in Hartford, there were 98 parishes, 204 priests, and 48 parochial schools; by the time of his death, there were 166 parishes, 300 priests, and 76 parochial schools.[2]
Tierney later died at Hartford, aged 69.[5]
References
- ^ "Re: bishop tierney cerca 1845 tipperary". Genealogy.com. http://genforum.genealogy.com/tierney/messages/207.html.
- ^ a b "Death of Bishop Tierney". The Messenger, Volume 50.
- ^ a b "TIERNEY, Michael". The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography.
- ^ a b c "Bishop Michael Tierney". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/btierney.html.
- ^ a b c d e "Hartford". Catholic Encyclopedia. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07144a.htm.
Preceded by
Lawrence Stephen McMahonBishop of Hartford
1894–1908Succeeded by
John Joseph NilanCategories:- 1839 births
- 1908 deaths
- Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923)
- St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie alumni
- American Roman Catholic bishops
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
- Christianity in Connecticut
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
