Samuel Eccleston

infobox bishopbiog
name = Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S. †


See = Archdiocese of Baltimore
Title = Archbishop of Baltimore
Period = October 19, 1834—April 22, 1851
Predecessor = James Whitfield †
Successor = Francis Patrick Kenrick †
ordination = April 24, 1825
bishops = Diocese of Richmond, Apostolic Administrator
date of birth = June 27, 1801
place of birth = Chestertown, Maryland
date of death = April 22, 1851
place of death = Georgetown, Washington, D.C. |

Archbishop Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S. (June 27, 1801 - April 22, 1851) was the fifth Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland from 1834 to 1851.

Early life and family

Samuel Eccleston was born near Chestertown, Maryland, June 27, 1801. His father was Samuel Eccleston, an Episcopalian. After her husband's death, Mrs. Eccleston married a Catholic named Stenson. Samuel was sent to St. Mary's College, Baltimore, where he was converted to Roman Catholicism on May 29, 1819. Entering St. Mary's Seminary in 1819, he was ordained priest, 24 April, 1825.

Priest and bishop

Eccleston went to Issy, France, for further theological studies, and, returning to Baltimore in July, 1827, was made vice-president, and two years later president, of St. Mary's College.

On March 4, 1834, he was appointed the Coadjutor Archbishop of Baltimore with the right of succession and on September 14, 1834, he was consecrated titular Bishop of Thermia.

Archbishop of Baltimore

Upon the death of Archbishop James Whitfield, October 19, 1834, Eccleston succeeded to the metropolitan see. He also became admimistrator of Richmond, until Bishop Whelan's appointment on November 22, 1840.

During his term of office many new churches were erected. He contributed largely of his own means towards the building of the cathedral. To provide for German Catholics the Redemptorists were invited from Austria in 1841; the Brothers of the Christian Schools were introduced into the United States in 1846, establishing Calvert Hall School at Baltimore, and the same year the Brothers of St. Patrick took charge of a manual labour school (since discontinued) near that city.

An important event was the opening, 1 November, 1849, of St. Charles College, founded by the generosity of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Five provincial councils, the third to the seventh inclusive, were held at Baltimore under Archbishop Eccleston.

He died on April 22, 1851 in Georgetown, Washington, D.C..

References

Sources

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/beccl.html Catholic Hierarchy]
*CathEncy|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05269a.htm|title=Samuel Eccleston

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