Edward James Slattery
Encyclopedia
Edward James Slattery is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He is the third and current bishop of Tulsa
.
, to William Edward and Winifred Margaret (née Brennan) Slattery; both his paternal and maternal grandparents emigrated to the United States
from Ireland
. After attending Visitation of the BVM Grade School and Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
, he studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary
, from where he obtained Bachelor of Arts
and Master of Divinity
degrees.
to the priesthood
by John Cardinal Cody on April 26, 1966, and then served as associate pastor
of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in South Holland
until 1971. During this time, he also earned a Master's degree
from Loyola University
. He was Vice-President
(1971–76) and President
(1976–94) of the Catholic Church Extension Society
, a Chicago-based funding agency for the American home missions. While working at Extension, he was named associate pastor at the inner-city Hispanic
parish of St. Rose of Lima on the south side of Chicago
in 1973. He later served as pastor
of St. Rose of Lima from 1976 to 1989.
, Oklahoma
, by Pope John Paul II
. He was consecrated on January 6, 1994 by the pope himself, with Archbishops Giovanni Re and Josip Uhac serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Peter's Basilica
in Rome
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Tu Solus Sanctus
", meaning, "You alone are the Holy One." As bishop, Slattery serves as the spiritual leader of over 56,000 Catholics in Eastern Oklahoma
.
"then [he] will become a criminal," adding, "When it becomes a crime to love the poor and serve their needs, then I will be the first to go to jail for this crime, and I pray that every priest and every deacon in this diocese will have the courage to walk with me into that prison." In 2007, he issued a 21-page pastoral letter in which he condemned Oklahoma House Bill 1804
, a strict anti-illegal immigration law which Slattery claimed creates "an atmosphere of repression and terror."
, Slattery criticized the Catholic House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi
and U.S. Senator
Joe Biden
for their remarks on abortion
on Meet the Press
, describing their positions as "clearly inconsistent with Catholic teaching" and "plainly false."
in his cathedral. He explained in his diocesan newspaper that this liturgical orientation had a number of significant advantages over the versus populum
form of celebrating the Mass.
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 is the third and current bishop of Tulsa
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the eastern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its ecclesiastical territory includes all of 31 counties in eastern Oklahoma, including the most populous county of the group, Tulsa County...
.
Early life
The second of seven children, Edward Slattery was born in Chicago, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, to William Edward and Winifred Margaret (née Brennan) Slattery; both his paternal and maternal grandparents emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 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...
. After attending Visitation of the BVM Grade School and Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was an American seminary preparatory school administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood...
, he studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
University of Saint Mary of the Lake, also called Mundelein Seminary, is the principal seminary and school of theology for the formation of priests in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, governed from Chicago, Illinois in the United States. It is recognized as the first institution of higher...
, from where he obtained 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...
and Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degrees.
Priesthood
Slattery was ordainedHoly 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 John Cardinal Cody on April 26, 1966, and then served as associate pastor
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...
of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in South Holland
South Holland, Illinois
South Holland is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States and serves as the seat of Thornton Township. The population was 22,147 at the 2000 census.-History:...
until 1971. During this time, he also earned a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Loyola University
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
. He was Vice-President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
(1971–76) and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
(1976–94) of the Catholic Church Extension Society
Catholic Church Extension Society
The Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States of America is a charitable organization affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church that seeks to support the Church's activities in under-resourced and isolated communities in the United States...
, a Chicago-based funding agency for the American home missions. While working at Extension, he was named associate pastor at the inner-city Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
parish of St. Rose of Lima on the south side of Chicago
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
in 1973. He later 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 St. Rose of Lima from 1976 to 1989.
Episcopal career
On November 11, 1993, Slattery was appointed the third Bishop of TulsaRoman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the eastern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its ecclesiastical territory includes all of 31 counties in eastern Oklahoma, including the most populous county of the group, Tulsa County...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, by Pope John Paul II
Pope 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 ...
. He was consecrated on January 6, 1994 by the pope himself, with Archbishops Giovanni Re and Josip Uhac 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. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
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 selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Tu Solus Sanctus
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
", meaning, "You alone are the Holy One." As bishop, Slattery serves as the spiritual leader of over 56,000 Catholics in Eastern Oklahoma
Eastern Oklahoma
See Also: Green CountryEastern Oklahoma is usually defined as east of Oklahoma City and east of Interstate 35 in Oklahoma. The region includes Tulsa.The region is usually divided into two main areas: Northeast Oklahoma, and Southeast Oklahoma....
.
Illegal immigrants
In 2006, Slattery said that if a law was passed criminalizing the act of aiding illegal immigrantsIllegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
"then [he] will become a criminal," adding, "When it becomes a crime to love the poor and serve their needs, then I will be the first to go to jail for this crime, and I pray that every priest and every deacon in this diocese will have the courage to walk with me into that prison." In 2007, he issued a 21-page pastoral letter in which he condemned Oklahoma House Bill 1804
HB1804
Oklahoma House Bill 1804, also known as the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act 2007, is a strict anti-illegal immigration law introduced by state Rep. Randy Terrill , chairman of the Revenue and Taxation Committee. The law makes it a felony even to give a person a ride if they know or...
, a strict anti-illegal immigration law which Slattery claimed creates "an atmosphere of repression and terror."
Pro-choice politicians
During the 2008 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Slattery criticized the Catholic House Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
and U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
for their remarks on abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
on Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
, describing their positions as "clearly inconsistent with Catholic teaching" and "plainly false."
Ad orientem liturgy
Bishop Slattery has returned to the practice of celebrating the Eucharistic liturgy ad orientemAd orientem
In the Catholic liturgy the expression ad orientem is the eastward orientation of a priest celebrating Mass. This orientation has been described as the "cosmic sign of the rising sun which symbolizes the universality of God."...
in his cathedral. He explained in his diocesan newspaper that this liturgical orientation had a number of significant advantages over the versus populum
Versus populum
Versus populum is the liturgical orientation in which the priest celebrates Mass facing the people. The opposite orientation, whereby the priest faces in the same direction as the people, is often called ad orientem , even if the priest is not in fact facing the east.From the middle of the...
form of celebrating the Mass.