Alexander Christie (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Christie was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Vancouver Island
(1898-1899) and Archbishop of Oregon City
(1899-1925).
Christie was born in Highgate, Vermont
, and later moved with his family to Wisconsin
and then to Austin, Minnesota
after the Civil War
(1861-1865). He studied at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
from 1874 to 1877, and was ordained
a priest
on December 2, 1877. He served as pastor
of Sacred Heart Church in Waseca
from 1878 until 1890, when he was transferred to the new Church of the Ascension in Minneapolis
. From 1894 to 1898, he was pastor of St. Stephen's Church in Minneapolis.
On March 26, 1898, Christie was appointed Bishop of Vancouver Island
in British Columbia
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following June 29 from Archbishop John Ireland
, with Bishop Jean-Baptiste Brondel
and John Shanley
serving as co-consecrators
. Christie was later named Archbishop of Oregon City
on March 4, 1899.
Bishop Christie founded the University of Portland
in 1901 and the Catholic Truth Society
in 1922, and successfully campaigned against an Oregon law that would eliminate parochial school
s, which was eventually settled by the Supreme Court
in Pierce v. Society of Sisters
.
After a steady decline in health, Christie died, aged 76, and was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Portland
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Vancouver Island
Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria
The Diocese of Victoria is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Headquartered in Victoria, the diocese encompasses all of Vancouver Island and several nearby British Columbia islands. A suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, the diocese's...
(1898-1899) and Archbishop of Oregon City
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It encompasses the western part of the state of Oregon, from the summit of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean...
(1899-1925).
Christie was born in Highgate, Vermont
Highgate, Vermont
Highgate is a town in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,397 at the 2000 census. The town is on the border of Quebec, Canada and is a border town of Philipsburg, Quebec.-History:...
, and later moved with his family to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and then to Austin, Minnesota
Austin, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,314 people, 9,897 households, and 6,076 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,168.2 people per square mile . There were 10,261 housing units at an average density of 954.3 per square mile...
after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(1861-1865). He studied at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
Grand séminaire de Montréal
The Grand séminaire de Montréal is the sacerdotal school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal. The institution was founded by the sulpicians in 1840 on the demands of Ignace Bourget. A branch of Université Laval's faculty of theology was installed in the seminar in 1878...
from 1874 to 1877, and was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on December 2, 1877. He served as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Sacred Heart Church in Waseca
Waseca, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,493 people, 3,388 households, and 2,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,215.6 people per square mile . There were 3,563 housing units at an average density of 929.5 per square mile...
from 1878 until 1890, when he was transferred to the new Church of the Ascension in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. From 1894 to 1898, he was pastor of St. Stephen's Church in Minneapolis.
On March 26, 1898, Christie was appointed Bishop of Vancouver Island
Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria
The Diocese of Victoria is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Headquartered in Victoria, the diocese encompasses all of Vancouver Island and several nearby British Columbia islands. A suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, the diocese's...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following June 29 from Archbishop John Ireland
John Ireland (archbishop)
John Ireland was the third bishop and first archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota . He became both a religious as well as civic leader in Saint Paul during the turn of the century...
, with Bishop Jean-Baptiste Brondel
Jean-Baptiste Brondel
Jean-Baptiste Brondel was a Belgian-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served in Canada as Bishop of Vancouver Island and in the United States as Bishop of Helena .-Biography:...
and John Shanley
John Shanley
John Shanley was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fargo, North Dakota, from 1889 until his death in 1909.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Christie was later named Archbishop of Oregon City
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It encompasses the western part of the state of Oregon, from the summit of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean...
on March 4, 1899.
Bishop Christie founded the University of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
in 1901 and the Catholic Truth Society
Catholic Truth Society
Catholic Truth Society is a body that prints and publishes Catholic literature, including apologetics but also prayerbooks, spiritual reading, lives of saints and so forth...
in 1922, and successfully campaigned against an Oregon law that would eliminate parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s, which was eventually settled by the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
in Pierce v. Society of Sisters
Pierce v. Society of Sisters
Pierce v. Society of Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, , was an early 20th century United States Supreme Court decision that significantly expanded coverage of the Due Process Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The case has been cited as a precedent in...
.
After a steady decline in health, Christie died, aged 76, and was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.