Edmond Francis Prendergast
Encyclopedia
Edmond Francis Prendergast (May 3, 1843—February 27, 1918) was an Irish
-born prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Philadelphia
from 1911 until his death in 1918.
, County Tipperary
, to Lawrence and Joanna (née Carew) Prendergast. Three of his uncles and two brothers were also priests
, and two sisters entered religious life
. While a theological
student in his native country, he accepted an invitation from one of his uncles to come to the United States
in 1859. He then enrolled at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
in Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, where he proved to be a talented student. He was ordained
to the priesthood by Bishop James Frederick Wood
on November 17, 1865.
Prendergast then served as a curate
at St. Paul's Church in Philadelphia until May 1866, when he was transferred to the mission
in Susquehanna Depot
on account of his health. He was pastor
of St. Mark's Church in Bristol
from 1867 to 1871. He then served at Immaculate Conception Church in Allentown
until February 1874, when he returned to Philadelphia as pastor of St. Malachy's Church. In addition to his duties at St. Malachy's, he was named vicar general
of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
in 1895.
On November 27, 1895, Prendergast was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop
of Scilium by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on February 24, 1897 from Archbishop Patrick John Ryan
, with Bishops Ignatius Frederick Horstmann and Michael John Hoban
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. For 15 years he continued his work as vicar general and pastor of St. Malachy's, and assisted Archbishop Ryan in ordaining priests, administering Confirmation
, dedicating churches, chapel
s and schools
, officiating at the reception of novice
s and at the solemn profession
of numerous nun
s in the archdiocese. He also served as chairman
of the Archdiocesan Building Committee; under his leadership, the Catholic Protectory
for Boys, Archbishop Ryan Memorial Library, Catholic Home for Girls, and Catholic Girls' High School
were erected. Following the death of Archbishop Ryan in February 1911, he was elected Apostolic Administrator
.
Prendergast was named the third Archbishop of Philadelphia
by Pope Pius X
on May 27, 1911. He was later installed
at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul on July 26, 1911. In attendance at his installation were the likes of Mayor John E. Reyburn
and Judge Mayer Sulzberger
. Due to his own advanced age (68), he received John Joseph McCort
as an auxiliary in 1912. During his episcopate, he was known as a master builder and a real-estate genius. He increased the number parishes and parochial schools. He founded Saint Francis Country Home for Convalescents and Saint Edmond's Home for Crippled Children. Until his death, Archbishop Prendergast was esteemed by priests and laity as a friend and solicitous father.
Archbishop Prendergast High School
for Young Women in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
, is named for him.
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...
-born 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 Archbishop of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
from 1911 until his death in 1918.
Biography
Edmond Prendergast was born in ClonmelClonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, to Lawrence and Joanna (née Carew) Prendergast. Three of his uncles and two brothers were also priests
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....
, and two sisters entered religious life
Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the term "consecrated life" denotes a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way recognized by the Church...
. While a theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
student in his native country, he accepted an invitation from one of his uncles to come to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1859. He then enrolled at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Named for Charles Borromeo, it is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where he proved to be a talented student. He 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 by Bishop James Frederick Wood
James Frederick Wood
James Frederick Bryan Wood was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fifth Bishop and first Archbishop of Philadelphia, serving between 1860 and his death in 1883.-Early life:...
on November 17, 1865.
Prendergast then served as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Paul's Church in Philadelphia until May 1866, when he was transferred to the mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
in Susquehanna Depot
Susquehanna Depot, Pennsylvania
Susquehanna Depot, often referred to simply as Susquehanna, is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, located on the Susquehanna River southeast of Binghamton, New York. In the past, railroad locomotives and railroad cars were made here. It is also known for its Pennsylvania Bluestone...
on account of his health. He was 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 St. Mark's Church in Bristol
Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia opposite Burlington, N.J. on the Delaware River. Bristol was first incorporated in 1720. Although its charter was revised in 1905, the original charter remains in effect, making Bristol one of the older boroughs in...
from 1867 to 1871. He then served at Immaculate Conception Church in Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
until February 1874, when he returned to Philadelphia as pastor of St. Malachy's Church. In addition to his duties at St. Malachy's, he was named vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
in 1895.
On November 27, 1895, Prendergast was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Philadelphia and 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 Scilium 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
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 February 24, 1897 from Archbishop Patrick John Ryan
Patrick John Ryan
Patrick John Ryan was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1884 until his death in 1911.-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Ignatius Frederick Horstmann and Michael John Hoban
Michael John Hoban
Michael John Hoban was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Scranton from 1899 until his death in 1926.-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 the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. For 15 years he continued his work as vicar general and pastor of St. Malachy's, and assisted Archbishop Ryan in ordaining priests, administering Confirmation
Confirmation (Catholic Church)
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing. According to Catholic doctrine, in this sacrament they receive the Holy Spirit and become adult members of the Catholic Church....
, dedicating churches, chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s and schools
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
, officiating at the reception of novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
s and at the solemn profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
of numerous nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s in the archdiocese. He also served as chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Archdiocesan Building Committee; under his leadership, the Catholic Protectory
Protectory
A protectory is a Roman Catholic institution for the shelter and training of the young, designed to afford neglected or abandoned children shelter, food, raiment and the rudiments of an education in religion, morals, science and manual training or industrial pursuits.Institutions of this character...
for Boys, Archbishop Ryan Memorial Library, Catholic Home for Girls, and Catholic Girls' High School
J. W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School
John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School is a Roman Catholic high school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It is an all girls high school.-History:...
were erected. Following the death of Archbishop Ryan in February 1911, he was elected Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
.
Prendergast was named the third Archbishop of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
by Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
on May 27, 1911. He was later 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 the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul on July 26, 1911. In attendance at his installation were the likes of Mayor John E. Reyburn
John E. Reyburn
John Edgar Reyburn was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, and Mayor of Philadelphia....
and Judge Mayer Sulzberger
Mayer Sulzberger
Mayer Sulzberger was an American judge and Jewish communal leader; born at Heidelsheim, Bruchsal, Baden, June 22, 1843. He went to Philadelphia with his parents in 1848, and was educated at the Central High School of Philadelphia, and after graduating he studied law in the office of Moses A. Dropsie...
. Due to his own advanced age (68), he received John Joseph McCort
John Joseph McCort
John Joseph McCort was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Altoona, Pennsylvania, from 1920 until his death in 1936.-Biography:...
as an auxiliary in 1912. During his episcopate, he was known as a master builder and a real-estate genius. He increased the number parishes and parochial schools. He founded Saint Francis Country Home for Convalescents and Saint Edmond's Home for Crippled Children. Until his death, Archbishop Prendergast was esteemed by priests and laity as a friend and solicitous father.
Archbishop Prendergast High School
Archbishop Prendergast High School
Archbishop Prendergast High School is an all-girl Catholic High School in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is located in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. The school is often referred to by its nickname, "Prendie". The school operates in a landmark building that formerly served as St....
for Young Women in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, is named for him.