Clement Smyth
Encyclopedia
Timothy Clement Smyth, OCSO
(February 24, 1810 – September 22, 1865) was an Irish
born 19th century bishop
of the Catholic Church in the United States
. He served as the second leader of the Diocese of Dubuque
following the death of Bishop Mathias Loras
.
, Ireland
. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
. Smyth initially entered a community of teaching brothers, the Brothers of the Presentation. He left that community after six years and took the name of Clement when he entered Mount Melleray Abbey
in 1838. He professed religious vows as a member of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance
, also known as the Trappists. He was ordained a priest at the abbey on May 29, 1841. Father Smyth founded a school for boys at Mount Melleray and another school developed outside the abbey gates for girls. Because of the devastation brought about by the Great Famine in Ireland in the 1840s the community started looking for a place in North America
for a new abbey where the monks could farm the land. A place near Bedford, Pennsylvania
was acquired and Father Smyth, as prior
, along with another monk were sent to establish a new monastery. The property was deemed unsuitable, as well as other property the small community looked at in both the United States and Canada
. Eventually they came to the Dubuque, Iowa
area where the Trappists were invited to establish a monastery in the diocese by Bishop Mathias Loras. After resigning as prior, Smyth again established a school at New Melleray
according to Bishop Loras' wishes. He was again appointed prior of the monastery on December 6, 1849.
. On January 9, 1857 Pope
Pius IX named Father Smyth the Titular Bishop
of Thennesus and Coadjutor Bishop of Dubuque. Because of the time involved in sending communications, the papers from Rome did not arrive in Dubuque until April, 1857. On May 9, 1857, Father Smyth was consecrated by Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick
of Saint Louis. Bishops John Martin Henni of Milwaukee and Anthony O'Regan
of Chicago served as co-consecrators.
Shortly after his episcopal consecration Bishop Smyth was assigned administrator of the Diocese of Chicago
while Bishop O'Reagan went to Rome
to resign his See. For the six months he served in this position he resided in Dubuque and traveled to Chicago by train. He had to deal with an apostate priest, Charles Paschal Chiniquy, who had set up a schismatic
church in Kankakee, Illinois
. Smyth was shot at as he left the town after he publicly excommunicated Chiniquy.
After his consecration as bishop, Smyth directed the construction of the present St. Raphael's Cathedral
. The health of Bishop Loras continued to decline, but Loras was well enough to hold the first Mass in the new cathedral on Christmas Day, 1857. Just under two months later, Bishop Loras died, February 20, 1858. On that day Bishop Smyth succeeded Loras as the second bishop of Dubuque.
as immigration continued into the state. Because of difficult economic times and the American Civil War
, not much progress was made on building new churches. However, he was able to recruit Irish
priests to the diocese, primarily from All Hallows College
in Dublin. This caused discontent among the French born priests and many of them left the diocese. A happier occasion for Smyth occurred in 1863 when he consecrated the Rt. Rev. Ephraim McDonnell as the first abbot
for New Melleray after it had been elevated to an abbey
by the Holy See
.
During the Civil War, Dubuque was a center of pro-Confederate
sympathies. One of the most outspoken proponents of the Confederate cause was the editor of the local Democratic
newspaper and a friend and an advisor to Bishop Loras, Dennis A. Mahoney. Smyth, unlike Loras who had spent many years as a missionary in Alabama
and as a slaveholder, supported the Union
cause. Bishop Smyth preached a stinging sermon after the assassination
of Abraham Lincoln
. That evening Smyth lost his coach house, carriage and horses to an arsonist. Local citizens, both Catholic and Protestant, built a new coach house and bought a new carriage and a pair of horses for the bishop.
Bishop Smyth led the diocese for seven years until his death on September 22, 1865. He was succeeded by Bishop John Hennessy
, who became Dubuque's first archbishop. Before his death in 1900, Archbishop Hennessy requested that a mortuary chapel be built to serve as a final resting place for bishops and archbishops of Dubuque. In 1902 the mortuary chapel was completed. The body of Bishop Smyth was brought to the cathedral, and reburied in the mortuary chapel.
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
(February 24, 1810 – September 22, 1865) was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
born 19th century bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Catholic Church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as the second leader of the Diocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
following the death of Bishop Mathias Loras
Mathias Loras
Bishop Mathias Loras was an immigrant French priest to the United States who later became the first bishop of the Dubuque Diocese in what would become the state of Iowa.-Early Life & Ministry:...
.
Early life & Ministry
Timothy Smyth was born on February 24, 1810 in Finlea, County ClareCounty 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
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. Smyth initially entered a community of teaching brothers, the Brothers of the Presentation. He left that community after six years and took the name of Clement when he entered Mount Melleray Abbey
Mount Melleray Abbey
Mount Melleray Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in Ireland, founded in 1833. It is situated on the slopes of the Knockmealdown Mountains, near Cappoquin, Diocese of Waterford.-History:...
in 1838. He professed religious vows as a member of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
, also known as the Trappists. He was ordained a priest at the abbey on May 29, 1841. Father Smyth founded a school for boys at Mount Melleray and another school developed outside the abbey gates for girls. Because of the devastation brought about by the Great Famine in Ireland in the 1840s the community started looking for a place in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
for a new abbey where the monks could farm the land. A place near Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
was acquired and Father Smyth, as prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
, along with another monk were sent to establish a new monastery. The property was deemed unsuitable, as well as other property the small community looked at in both the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Eventually they came to the Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
area where the Trappists were invited to establish a monastery in the diocese by Bishop Mathias Loras. After resigning as prior, Smyth again established a school at New Melleray
New Melleray Abbey
New Melleray Abbey is located near Dubuque, Iowa. The monks there are members of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance . The abbey is located about 15 miles southwest of Dubuque and is located in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The current Abbot is the Right Reverend Brendan...
according to Bishop Loras' wishes. He was again appointed prior of the monastery on December 6, 1849.
Coadjutor Bishop
Bishop Loras realized that his health was failing and he requested a coadjutor bishop from the Holy SeeHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. On January 9, 1857 Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius IX named Father Smyth the Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Thennesus and Coadjutor Bishop of Dubuque. Because of the time involved in sending communications, the papers from Rome did not arrive in Dubuque until April, 1857. On May 9, 1857, Father Smyth was consecrated by Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick
Peter Richard Kenrick
Peter Richard Kenrick was the first Catholic archbishop west of the Mississippi River.-Early life and ordination:He was born and educated in Dublin, Ireland and ordained to the priesthood in 1832...
of Saint Louis. Bishops John Martin Henni of Milwaukee and Anthony O'Regan
Anthony O'Regan
Anthony O'Regan was an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Chicago in the United States from 1854 to 1858.-Biography:...
of Chicago served as co-consecrators.
Shortly after his episcopal consecration Bishop Smyth was assigned administrator of the Diocese of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
while Bishop O'Reagan went to 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...
to resign his See. For the six months he served in this position he resided in Dubuque and traveled to Chicago by train. He had to deal with an apostate priest, Charles Paschal Chiniquy, who had set up a schismatic
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
church in Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,561, and 26,840 as of a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Kankakee County...
. Smyth was shot at as he left the town after he publicly excommunicated Chiniquy.
After his consecration as bishop, Smyth directed the construction of the present St. Raphael's Cathedral
St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque)
Saint Raphael's is the Catholic cathedral parish for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, in Iowa. The parish is the oldest church of any Christian denomination in the state of Iowa. It is part of the Cathedral Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.-The first years:The Cathedral...
. The health of Bishop Loras continued to decline, but Loras was well enough to hold the first Mass in the new cathedral on Christmas Day, 1857. Just under two months later, Bishop Loras died, February 20, 1858. On that day Bishop Smyth succeeded Loras as the second bishop of Dubuque.
Bishop of Dubuque
Bishop Smyth was known for his deep piety and boundless charity. He would oversee the continued expansion of the church's presence in IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
as immigration continued into the state. Because of difficult economic times and the American 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...
, not much progress was made on building new churches. However, he was able to recruit Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
priests to the diocese, primarily from All Hallows College
All Hallows College
All Hallows College is a Roman Catholic college located in Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland. All Hallows is one of six linked colleges of Dublin City University, meaning that the college's degrees are validated and accredited by the university.-History:...
in Dublin. This caused discontent among the French born priests and many of them left the diocese. A happier occasion for Smyth occurred in 1863 when he consecrated the Rt. Rev. Ephraim McDonnell as the first abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
for New Melleray after it had been elevated to an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
During the Civil War, Dubuque was a center of pro-Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
sympathies. One of the most outspoken proponents of the Confederate cause was the editor of the local Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
newspaper and a friend and an advisor to Bishop Loras, Dennis A. Mahoney. Smyth, unlike Loras who had spent many years as a missionary in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and as a slaveholder, supported the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
cause. Bishop Smyth preached a stinging sermon after the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. That evening Smyth lost his coach house, carriage and horses to an arsonist. Local citizens, both Catholic and Protestant, built a new coach house and bought a new carriage and a pair of horses for the bishop.
Bishop Smyth led the diocese for seven years until his death on September 22, 1865. He was succeeded by Bishop John Hennessy
John Hennessy (Archbishop)
-External links:**...
, who became Dubuque's first archbishop. Before his death in 1900, Archbishop Hennessy requested that a mortuary chapel be built to serve as a final resting place for bishops and archbishops of Dubuque. In 1902 the mortuary chapel was completed. The body of Bishop Smyth was brought to the cathedral, and reburied in the mortuary chapel.