- John Francis Dearden
-
His Eminence
John Francis DeardenArchbishop of Detroit See Detroit Enthroned December 18, 1958 Reign ended July 15, 1980 Predecessor Edward Mooney Successor Edmund Szoka Other posts Bishop of Pittsburgh (1950-58) Orders Ordination December 8, 1932 Consecration May 18, 1948 Created Cardinal April 28, 1969 Personal details Born October 15, 1907
Valley Falls, Rhode IslandDied August 1, 1988 (aged 80)
Southfield, MichiganJohn Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907—August 1, 1988) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1958 to 1980, and was created a cardinal in 1969. He previously served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1950 to 1958.
Contents
Early life and education
John Dearden was born in Valley Falls, Rhode Island, the eldest of five children of John Sidney and Agnes (née Gregory) Dearden.[1] He received his early education at the parochial school of Holy Trinity Church in Central Falls.[2] At age 11, Dearden and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio.[3] He continued his education at St. Philomena School in East Cleveland, and then attended Cathedral Latin High School from 1921 to 1925.[2]
In 1925, Dearden began his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland.[1] He graduated from St. Mary's in 1929, and was then sent to continue his studies in Rome at the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University.[1]
Priesthood
On December 8, 1932, Dearden was ordained a priest by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani in Rome.[4] He earned a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian in 1934.[3] Following his return to Ohio, he was assigned as a curate at St. Mary's Church in Painesville, where he remained for three years.[2] He then served as professor of philosophy (1937–48) and rector (1944–48) at St. Mary's Seminary.[2] He was raised to the rank of papal chamberlain on July 19, 1945.[1]
Episcopate
Pittsburgh
On March 13, 1948, Dearden was appointed coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and titular bishop of Sarepta by Pope Pius XII.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 18 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops Edward Francis Hoban and Floyd Lawrence Begin serving as co-consecrators, at St. Agnes Church in Cleveland.[4] Upon the death of Bishop Hugh Charles Boyle, Dearden succeeded him as the seventh Bishop of Pittsburgh on December 22, 1950.[4]
During his tenure in Pittsburgh, Dearden earned the nickname "Iron John" for his stern manner of administration.[5] In 1952, he issued new regulations for interfaith marriages, allowing marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics to take place in a church, but insisted his actions "must not be understood as mitigating in any degree the general rule of the church that is opposed in principle to such unions."[6] He was named an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne in 1957.[2]
Detroit
Following the death of Cardinal Edward Mooney, Dearden was appointed the second Archbishop of Detroit, Michigan, on December 18, 1958.[4] He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965.[1] He played an influential role at the Council, helping develop key documents like Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes.[7] During the Council, he became more progressive in his views, becoming known as a "favorite of the liberals in the church."[3][5] He dedicated himself to implementing the reforms of the Council, promoting the greater participation of the laity in diocesan affairs, encouraging the formation of a priests' senate, and ordaining married deacons.[8][9][10] Dearden was even condemned by The Wanderer as "a major heretic, one of the worst the Catholic Church has ever suffered from."[11] However, he had "too many theological objections" to support the ordination of women.[10]
In 1965, Dearden partnered with Cardinal Joseph Ritter to inaugurate Project Equality, an interfaith program requiring businesses to pledge to a policy of non-discrimination in hiring and discharging employees.[3] He also announced that the archdiocese would give preferential treatment to suppliers who gave equal opportunity to minority groups.[12] As a member of the National Catholic Welfare Council, he served as its treasurer, a member of its administrative board, and chairman of its Committee on the Liturgical Apostolate.[13]
From 1966 to 1971, Dearden served as the first president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.[14] He was known as "the unobtrusive liberal" for his emphasis on governing through consensus.[13] During his tenure, the conference approved several liturgical reforms, including using English for the eucharistic prayer, authorizing extraordinary ministers of Communion, and holding Saturday evening Masses.[13] Following the death of Cardinal Francis Spellman, Dearden was considered a likely candidate to become Archbishop of New York.[15][16]
Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of S. Pio X alla Balduina in the consistory of April 28, 1969. During the 1971 Synod of Bishops in Vatican City, Dearden suggested that the sociological and psychological aspects of the priesthood be investigated.[17] Following the outbreak of the Watergate scandal in 1973, Dearden issued a pastoral letter in which he remarked, "These are difficult days for the country we love," and asked Catholics to observe the first three Fridays in November as days of prayer, penance and fasting in light of the nation's political turmoil.[18] He suffered a serious heart attack in April 1977.[7]
He was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II respectively.
Later life and death
On July 15, 1980, he resigned as Detroit's archbishop, after twenty-one years of service. Dearden died from pancreatic cancer in Southfield, Michigan, at age 80.[10] He is buried in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery in the same city.
References
- ^ a b c d e Miranda, Salvador. "DEARDEN, John Francis (1907-1988)". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-d.htm#Dearden.
- ^ a b c d e Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
- ^ a b c d "John Francis Dearden". The New York Times. 1969-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e "John Francis Cardinal Dearden". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdearden.html.
- ^ a b "A New Model from Detroit". TIME Magazine. 1969-04-11. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900758,00.html.
- ^ "CATHOLIC RULE REVISED; Wedding in Church Permitted to Member of Another Faith". The New York Times. 1952-05-05.
- ^ a b "Archbishop of Detroit Resigns From Position For Reasons of Health". The New York Times. 1980-07-16.
- ^ "Princely Promotions". TIME Magazine. 1969-04-04. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,840025,00.html.
- ^ "More Power for Priests". TIME Magazine. 1968-02-23. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,837964,00.html.
- ^ a b c Saxon, Wolfgang (1988-08-02). "John Cardinal Dearden, 80, Dies; Leading Liberal Voice in Church". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/02/obituaries/john-cardinal-dearden-80-dies-leading-liberal-voice-in-church.html.
- ^ "The New Counter-Reformation". TIME Magazine. 1974-07-08. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,943916-3,00.html.
- ^ "Financing Fair Employment". TIME Magazine. 1965-05-28. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,941365,00.html.
- ^ a b c Reese, Thomas J. (1992). A Flock of Shepherds: the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Kansas City: Sheed & Ward.
- ^ "Democracy for Bishops". TIME Magazine. 1966-11-25. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,843122,00.html.
- ^ "Choosing a Successor". TIME Magazine. 1967-12-15. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,837620-2,00.html.
- ^ "Succession to Spellman". TIME Magazine. 1968-03-15. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838030,00.html.
- ^ TIME Magazine. Strengthening Paul's Hand October 18, 1971
- ^ "Keep the Faith". TIME Magazine. 1973-11-19. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944701,00.html.
External links
- Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
- Catholic-Hierarchy
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh History of Bishops webpage
Catholic Church titles Preceded by
Hugh Charles BoyleBishop of Pittsburgh
1950–1958Succeeded by
John Joseph WrightPreceded by
Edward MooneyArchbishop of Detroit
1958–1980Succeeded by
Edmund SzokaCategories:- 1907 births
- 1988 deaths
- Religious leaders from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- American cardinals
- Roman Catholic Archbishops of Detroit
- Roman Catholic Bishops of Pittsburgh
- Participants in the Second Vatican Council
- 20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops
- Burials in Michigan
- Cardinals created by Pope Paul VI
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