Anthony John King Mussio
Encyclopedia
Anthony John King Mussio (June 13, 1902—April 15, 1978) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He was the first Bishop of Steubenville
, Ohio
(1945-1977).
, Ohio
, to John Edward and Blanche (née King) Mussio. After graduating from St. Xavier High School in 1920, he studied at Xavier University
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1924. He earned a Master of Arts
degree from the University of Notre Dame
in St. Joseph County
, Indiana
and, returning to Cincinnati, studied at the College-Conservatory of Music
. While serving as an English
professor at Xavier University from 1925 to 1930, he also studied law
at the University of Cincinnati
. He entered St. Gregory Preparatory Seminary in 1930 and afterwards Mount St. Mary's Seminary
in 1932.
Mussio was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop John T. McNicholas
, O.P.
, on August 15, 1935. Furthering his studies in Rome
, he earned a doctorate in canon law
from the Angelicum University in 1939. Following his return to Cinicinnati that year, he became assistant chancellor
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
. He was named chancellor of the archdiocese and a Papal Chamberlain
in 1942. In addition to his other duties, he taught canon law
at Mount St. Mary's Seminary.
On March 10, 1945, Mussio was appointed the first Bishop
of the newly-erected Diocese of Steubenville
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 1 from Archbishop McNicholas, with Bishops Michael Joseph Ready
and George John Rehring
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Monica's Pro-Cathedral. He was installed
at Holy Name Cathedral
on May 23, 1945. During his 32-year-long tenure, he established 73 parishes and 20 missions, the College of Steubenville
, St. John Vianney Seminary, a Camaldolese
hermitage
, Samaritan House, Catholic Social Services, and St. John's Villa. He also founded the diocesan newspaper
, The Steubenville Register. He was appointed an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
on June 8, 1960. Between 1962 and 1965, Mussio attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
. In accord with the Council's reforms, he established the Steubenville Ecumenical Institute to foster better relationships among Christians
and Jews. In addition to his duties as diocesan bishop, he served as a member of the Episcopal Commission of the Legion of Decency
and as episcopal moderator of the Catholic Broadcasters Association.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Mussio resigned as Bishop of Steubenville on September 27, 1977. He later died less than seven months later.
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 was the first Bishop of Steubenville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville is a Roman Catholic diocese covering thirteen counties in Ohio. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius XII on October 21, 1944 out of territory from the Diocese of Columbus....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(1945-1977).
Biography
John Mussio was born in CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to John Edward and Blanche (née King) Mussio. After graduating from St. Xavier High School in 1920, he studied at Xavier University
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1924. He earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and, returning to Cincinnati, studied at the College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
The University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music is the performing arts college of the University of Cincinnati and is one of the nation's leading music conservatories. In its most recent rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Cincinnati sixth nationally among university programs...
. While serving as an English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
professor at Xavier University from 1925 to 1930, he also studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. He entered St. Gregory Preparatory Seminary in 1930 and afterwards Mount St. Mary's Seminary
Athenaeum of Ohio
The Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, originally St. Francis Xavier Seminary, is the third-oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is currently located at 6616 Beechmont Avenue in the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood of Mt. Washington, in the former Saint...
in 1932.
Mussio 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....
to the priesthood
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....
by Archbishop John T. McNicholas
John T. McNicholas
John Timothy McNicholas, O.P. was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. A Dominican, he served as Bishop of Duluth and Archbishop of Cincinnati .-Early life and education:...
, O.P.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, on August 15, 1935. Furthering his studies in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he earned a doctorate in canon law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
from the Angelicum University in 1939. Following his return to Cinicinnati that year, he became assistant chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
. He was named chancellor of the archdiocese and a Papal Chamberlain
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1942. In addition to his other duties, he taught canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
at Mount St. Mary's Seminary.
On March 10, 1945, Mussio was appointed the first Bishop
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of the newly-erected Diocese of Steubenville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville is a Roman Catholic diocese covering thirteen counties in Ohio. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius XII on October 21, 1944 out of territory from the Diocese of Columbus....
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
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....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following May 1 from Archbishop McNicholas, with Bishops Michael Joseph Ready
Michael Joseph Ready
Michael Joseph Ready was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Columbus from 1944 until his death.-Early life and education:...
and George John Rehring
George John Rehring
George John Rehring was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Toledo from 1950 to 1967.-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...
, at St. Monica's Pro-Cathedral. He was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
at Holy Name Cathedral
Holy Name Cathedral
Holy Name Cathedral or the Cathedral of the Holy Name are the names of several cathedrals.* Holy Name Cathedral, Brisbane* Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago...
on May 23, 1945. During his 32-year-long tenure, he established 73 parishes and 20 missions, the College of Steubenville
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Franciscan University of Steubenville is a Catholic institution located in Steubenville, Ohio, west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school was founded in 1946 by the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular. In 1974, Fr...
, St. John Vianney Seminary, a Camaldolese
Camaldolese
The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...
hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
, Samaritan House, Catholic Social Services, and St. John's Villa. He also founded the diocesan newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, The Steubenville Register. He was appointed an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne is an ecclesiastical title in the Roman Catholic Church. It signifies a prelate belonging to the papal chapel, who stands near the throne of the Pope at solemn functions....
on June 8, 1960. Between 1962 and 1965, Mussio attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. In accord with the Council's reforms, he established the Steubenville Ecumenical Institute to foster better relationships among Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Jews. In addition to his duties as diocesan bishop, he served as a member of the Episcopal Commission of the Legion of Decency
National Legion of Decency
The National Legion of Decency was an organization dedicated to identifying and combating objectionable content, from the point of view of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, in motion pictures...
and as episcopal moderator of the Catholic Broadcasters Association.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Mussio resigned as Bishop of Steubenville on September 27, 1977. He later died less than seven months later.