Anthony O'Connell
Encyclopedia
Anthony J. O'Connell is a Roman Catholic clergyman who was the first Bishop of Knoxville
in Tennessee
, followed by service as the third Bishop of Palm Beach
in Florida
.
, County Clare
, Ireland
and studied at Mount St. Joseph College in Cork
and at Mungret College
in Limerick, Ireland. Emigrating to the United States at age 20, he entered Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis.
.
Following ordination, he was assigned as Director of Students at St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary
in Hannibal, Missouri
. He was named Spiritual Director in 1968 and was appointed Rector in 1970.
O'Connell served as Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jefferson City from 1969 to 1988. He was a member of the Diocesan Commission for Personnel and President of the Priests' Senate.
He was serving as Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary when he was appointed first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Knoxville
on June 7, 1988.
On September 8, 1988, O'Connell was consecrated and installed as the first bishop of Knoxville. Archbishop Pio Laghi (later a Cardinal) served as Principal Consecrator with Bishop James Niedergeses and Bishop Michael McAuliffe
serving as principal co-consecrators.
On November 12, 1998, O'Connell was appointed the third Bishop of Palm Beach
.
Stephen Spalding (1953–1982) was the first known O’Connell victim, and became one of three known victims from the graduating class of 1971. Stephen’s mother reported the crime to the Diocese of Jefferson City in 1968. The Jefferson City diocesan priest Fr. Christopher Dixon, an alumnus and faculty member of St. Thomas, exposed O’Connell’s crimes in 2002.
Likewise, Matthew Cosby, Michael Wegs, and two former students identified in media reports as "John C. C. Doe" and "Alexander" have stepped forward to disclose O'Connell's actions against students in his charge.
The extent of O'Connell's transgressions in one student's case was documented by Time magazine.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, O'Connell induced another St. Thomas alumnus, Father Brian Driscoll, to obstruct justice by playing the role of bagman in an attempt to quiet further disclosure of allegations of sexual molestation.
on March 13, 2002.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville is a Roman Catholic diocese in Tennessee. It was founded on May 27, 1988 from the eastern counties of the Diocese of Nashville. This diocese covers most of East Tennessee; in addition to the see city of Knoxville, it includes Chattanooga and Johnson City....
in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, followed by service as the third Bishop of Palm Beach
Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was founded on June 16, 1984.The past bishops of the diocese are:#Thomas Vose Daily #Joseph Keith Symons...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Early life
O'Connell was born in LisheenLisheen
Lisheen is a townland in Ballynacally, County Clare. It is the home of the Maher family, among others....
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and studied at Mount St. Joseph College in Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
and at Mungret College
Mungret College
Mungret College, situated west of Limerick, Ireland, near the village of Mungret, was a Jesuit apostolic school and a lay secondary school from 1882 until 1974 when it closed as a school for the last time. The college produced over 1000 priests in that period...
in Limerick, Ireland. Emigrating to the United States at age 20, he entered Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis.
Career
On March 30, 1963, he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Jefferson City, MissouriRoman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on July 2, 1956 from territory taken from the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Diocese of Kansas City, and the Diocese of Saint...
.
Following ordination, he was assigned as Director of Students at St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary
St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary
St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary was a Catholic high school seminary located in Hannibal, Missouri in the Diocese of Jefferson City, active from 1957 to 2002.-Founding:...
in Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
. He was named Spiritual Director in 1968 and was appointed Rector in 1970.
O'Connell served as Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jefferson City from 1969 to 1988. He was a member of the Diocesan Commission for Personnel and President of the Priests' Senate.
He was serving as Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary when he was appointed first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Knoxville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville is a Roman Catholic diocese in Tennessee. It was founded on May 27, 1988 from the eastern counties of the Diocese of Nashville. This diocese covers most of East Tennessee; in addition to the see city of Knoxville, it includes Chattanooga and Johnson City....
on June 7, 1988.
On September 8, 1988, O'Connell was consecrated and installed as the first bishop of Knoxville. Archbishop Pio Laghi (later a Cardinal) served as Principal Consecrator with Bishop James Niedergeses and Bishop Michael McAuliffe
Michael McAuliffe
Michael McAuliffe was a barman from Sydney who was hanged in Malaysia in June 1993 after serving eight years in jail for heroin trafficking....
serving as principal co-consecrators.
On November 12, 1998, O'Connell was appointed the third Bishop of Palm Beach
Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was founded on June 16, 1984.The past bishops of the diocese are:#Thomas Vose Daily #Joseph Keith Symons...
.
Exposure of misconduct
Bishop O'Connell admitted in 2002 that he had molested at least two students of St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary during his 25-year career there.Stephen Spalding (1953–1982) was the first known O’Connell victim, and became one of three known victims from the graduating class of 1971. Stephen’s mother reported the crime to the Diocese of Jefferson City in 1968. The Jefferson City diocesan priest Fr. Christopher Dixon, an alumnus and faculty member of St. Thomas, exposed O’Connell’s crimes in 2002.
Likewise, Matthew Cosby, Michael Wegs, and two former students identified in media reports as "John C. C. Doe" and "Alexander" have stepped forward to disclose O'Connell's actions against students in his charge.
The extent of O'Connell's transgressions in one student's case was documented by Time magazine.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, O'Connell induced another St. Thomas alumnus, Father Brian Driscoll, to obstruct justice by playing the role of bagman in an attempt to quiet further disclosure of allegations of sexual molestation.
Resignation
He offered his resignation as Bishop of Palm Beach on March 8, 2002 and his resignation was accepted by Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on March 13, 2002.