Edward William O'Rourke
Encyclopedia
Edward William O'Rourke was the sixth Roman Catholic
Bishop of Peoria
(1971–1990).
, Illinois
, to Martin and Mary (née Hickey) O'Rourke. He decided to become a priest
following his Confirmation
in 1930, and later recalled he "never had a moment of doubt that this was [his] calling." After attending Downs High School (1931–1935) and St. Henry College (1935–1938), he studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary
in Mundelein
. O'Rourke was ordained
by Bishop Joseph H. Schlarman
on May 28, 1944. He then served as an assistant chaplain
at the Newman Centre
of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
until 1960. He also helped find housing and employment for hundreds of people fleeing the Communist
takeover of Eastern Europe
.
From 1960 to 1971, O'Rourke was executive director
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. He was a strong supporter of self-help projects to aid the poor over handouts, and favored non-governmental over government aid because he believed that governmental aid could end with a change in the policy or in the party
in power. He helped establish hundreds of economic development committees, cooperatives and other self-help programs in the United States and abroad. During the 1960s he lectured widely on his experiences in developing countries, traveling more than 140,000 miles to 19 nations in one year alone. In 1960 he declared, "We must not exchange the family farm system for a few 'general farms incorporated.' Such an exchange would be tragic for families on the land and for nations as a whole. In America we have an agriculture which is efficient, which is conducive to good family life, which is a bulwark of religion and democracy. Let us not exchange it for a type of agriculture which has failed in every place and every age in which it has been tried." In 1967 he issued a critique of industrial agriculture
, saying, "It neglects entirely the spiritual, social and cultural values of rural living. It means the uprooting of thousands of rural families...The spiritual, social and cultural values of the farm family and given priority in determining our agricultural priorities."
On May 24, 1971, O'Rourke was appointed Bishop of Peoria
by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following July 15 from Cardinal John Cody, with Bishops John Baptist Franz
and George Henry Speltz serving as co-consecrators
. Later that year he sold the episcopal residence on Glen Oak Avenue and moved to a one-bedroom brick ranch near St. Mary's Cathedral
, and donating the money to the diocesean fund for retired priests. He established the first Diocesan Pastoral Council in 1974. That same year he established he replaced the old system of six deaneries by dividing the diocese into fifteen vicariates. He ordained the first permanent deacons
of the diocese in 1976. In 1976 he was aboard TWA Flight 355
from New York City
to Chicago when it was hijacked
by Croatia
n separatists. He was offered a chance to leave the plane but declined; he led the passengers in prayer and tried to persuade the hijackers to surrender.
During his tenure, O'Rourke established the Annual Stewardship Appeal (now known as the Annual Diocesan Appeal) and the Teens Encounter Christ program. He consolidated Costa Catholic School in Galesburg
(1972), Jordan Catholic School in Rock Island
(1974), La Salle Catholic School (1978) and Peoria Notre Dame High School
(1988). He suffered from a number of health problems; he once underwent a hip replacement
surgery
, suffered a stroke
in 1985, and was forced to use a pacemaker
. After nineteen years as bishop, he resigned on January 22, 1990. A few months after his retirement, he founded Renaissance Stand, an organization designed to help the long-term unemployed obtain jobs and job training.
O'Rourke later died at age 81. He is buried in the Bishop's Mausoleum at St. Mary's Cemetery in Peoria.
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...
Bishop of Peoria
Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
(1971–1990).
Biography
One of eleven children, Edward O'Rourke was born in DownsDowns, Illinois
Downs is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,005 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Downs is located at ....
, Illinois
Illinois
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 Martin and Mary (née Hickey) O'Rourke. He decided to become a priest
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....
following his 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....
in 1930, and later recalled he "never had a moment of doubt that this was [his] calling." After attending Downs High School (1931–1935) and St. Henry College (1935–1938), 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...
in Mundelein
Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 31,064.-History:The community now known as Mundelein has been inhabited since at least 1650, when the Potowatami Indians were known to have been trading with French fur traders....
. O'Rourke 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....
by Bishop Joseph H. Schlarman
Joseph Henry Leo Schlarman
Joseph Henry Leo Schlarman was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Peoria from 1930 until his death in 1951.-Biography:...
on May 28, 1944. He then served as an assistant chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at the Newman Centre
Newman Centre
Named in honour of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Newman Centers are residence and Catholic ministry centers at non-Catholic universities throughout the world. They were inspired by Newman's writings encouraging societies for Catholic students attending secular universities.In 1888 the...
of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
until 1960. He also helped find housing and employment for hundreds of people fleeing the Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
takeover of Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
.
From 1960 to 1971, O'Rourke was executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. He was a strong supporter of self-help projects to aid the poor over handouts, and favored non-governmental over government aid because he believed that governmental aid could end with a change in the policy or in the party
Political parties in the United States
This article presents the historical development and role of political parties in United States politics, and outlines more extensively the significant modern political parties. Throughout most of its history, American politics have been dominated by a two-party system...
in power. He helped establish hundreds of economic development committees, cooperatives and other self-help programs in the United States and abroad. During the 1960s he lectured widely on his experiences in developing countries, traveling more than 140,000 miles to 19 nations in one year alone. In 1960 he declared, "We must not exchange the family farm system for a few 'general farms incorporated.' Such an exchange would be tragic for families on the land and for nations as a whole. In America we have an agriculture which is efficient, which is conducive to good family life, which is a bulwark of religion and democracy. Let us not exchange it for a type of agriculture which has failed in every place and every age in which it has been tried." In 1967 he issued a critique of industrial agriculture
Industrial agriculture
Industrial farming is a form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. The methods of industrial agriculture are technoscientific, economic, and political...
, saying, "It neglects entirely the spiritual, social and cultural values of rural living. It means the uprooting of thousands of rural families...The spiritual, social and cultural values of the farm family and given priority in determining our agricultural priorities."
On May 24, 1971, O'Rourke was appointed Bishop of Peoria
Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. 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 July 15 from Cardinal John Cody, with Bishops John Baptist Franz
John Baptist Franz
John Baptist Franz was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Dodge City and Bishop of Peoria .-Early life and education:...
and George Henry Speltz 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...
. Later that year he sold the episcopal residence on Glen Oak Avenue and moved to a one-bedroom brick ranch near St. Mary's Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Peoria, Illinois)
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria, the diocese where the renowned Catholic televangelist and sainthood candidate, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, was born and raised...
, and donating the money to the diocesean fund for retired priests. He established the first Diocesan Pastoral Council in 1974. That same year he established he replaced the old system of six deaneries by dividing the diocese into fifteen vicariates. He ordained the first permanent deacons
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
of the diocese in 1976. In 1976 he was aboard TWA Flight 355
TWA Flight 355
TWA Flight 355 was a domestic Trans World Airlines flight which was hijacked by five terrorists, all members of the Croatian National Resistance which was a terrorist Croatian Ustaše emigrant organization, on September 10, 1976....
from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Chicago when it was hijacked
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
by Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n separatists. He was offered a chance to leave the plane but declined; he led the passengers in prayer and tried to persuade the hijackers to surrender.
During his tenure, O'Rourke established the Annual Stewardship Appeal (now known as the Annual Diocesan Appeal) and the Teens Encounter Christ program. He consolidated Costa Catholic School in Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
(1972), Jordan Catholic School in Rock Island
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
(1974), La Salle Catholic School (1978) and Peoria Notre Dame High School
Peoria Notre Dame High School
Peoria Notre Dame High School is a Catholic parochial high school in Peoria, Illinois. It is the largest parochial school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria with approximately 815 students and has a college preparatory curriculum. According to the school, more than 99% of students graduating...
(1988). He suffered from a number of health problems; he once underwent a hip replacement
Hip replacement
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1985, and was forced to use a pacemaker
Pacemaker
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart.Pacemaker may also refer to:-Medicine:...
. After nineteen years as bishop, he resigned on January 22, 1990. A few months after his retirement, he founded Renaissance Stand, an organization designed to help the long-term unemployed obtain jobs and job training.
O'Rourke later died at age 81. He is buried in the Bishop's Mausoleum at St. Mary's Cemetery in Peoria.