Floyd Lawrence Begin
Encyclopedia
Floyd Lawrence Begin was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Oakland
from 1962 until his death in 1977.
, the eldest of seven children of Peter H. and Stella Agnes (née McFarland) Begin. He received his early education at the parochial school
s of St. Columbkille Church and St. Thomas Aquinas Church. He attended Cathedral Latin High School
(1916–20) and St. John Cathedral College (1920–22), both in Cleveland.
Begin then studied for the priesthood
at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
, where he served as assistant to the rector
during his studies. He earned a doctorate in philosophy
and in theology
from the Pontifical Urbaniana University
. In 1930, he received a doctorate in canon law
from the Apollinarus University
.
a priest in Rome on July 31, 1927. Following his return to Ohio, he briefly served as administrator of St. Anthony Church in Canton
. From 1930 to 1938, he served as secretary to Bishop Joseph Schrembs
as well as vice-chancellor
and pro-vicar general
of the Diocese of Cleveland
.
Begin became an official
is of the diocesan tribunal in 1938. He served as director of both the Diocesan Council of Catholic Men and the seventh National Eucharistic Congress. He was also chaplain
of the Rosemary Home for Crippled Children in Euclid
and diocesan vicar
for religious
. He was named by Pope Pius XI a papal chamberlain
in 1934, and raised by Pius XI to the rank of domestic prelate
in 1936.
of Cleveland and titular bishop
of Sala by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 1 from Bishop Edward Francis Hoban
, with Bishops James A. McFadden
and Joseph Thomas McGucken
serving as co-consecrators
. He was named vicar general of the diocese on in March 1948 and pastor
of St. Agnes Church in Cleveland in January 1949.
During his tenure at St. Agnes, Begin advocated more services for and acceptance of African American
s, who mostly composed the parishioners at St. Agnes. In 1954, he unsuccessfully tried to get a Knights of Columbus
charter for an interracial council in Cleveland. When the Knights of Columbus refused to give the charter, he declared, "The only reason they're being kept out is their color. Anyone who denies that is a pussy-footing liar."
of the newly-erected Diocese of Oakland
, California
, by Pope John XXIII
. The diocese comprised Alameda
and Contra Costa Counties
in the San Francisco Bay Area
, and included 386,000 Catholics. His installation took place on April 28 of that year. Between 1962 and 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
.
Begin was buried in the Bishop's Crypt at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California. November 2, 2008, his remains were re-interred in the Cathedral Mausoleum of the new Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California.
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 served as Bishop of Oakland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California. The diocese comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area...
from 1962 until his death in 1977.
Early life and education
Floyd Begin was born in Cleveland, OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, the eldest of seven children of Peter H. and Stella Agnes (née McFarland) Begin. He received his early education at the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s of St. Columbkille Church and St. Thomas Aquinas Church. He attended Cathedral Latin High School
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin is a coeducational, Catholic high school in Chardon, Ohio, sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.-Background:...
(1916–20) and St. John Cathedral College (1920–22), both in Cleveland.
Begin then studied for 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....
at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
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...
, where he served as assistant to the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
during his studies. He earned a doctorate in philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
and in theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
from the Pontifical Urbaniana University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
. In 1930, he received a doctorate in canon law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
from the Apollinarus University
Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare
Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare was a university named after Saint Apollinaris. Notable people who have attended include:*Alfredo Ottaviani*Amleto Giovanni Cicognani*Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant*Benedetto Aloisi Masella*Gustavo Testa...
.
Priesthood
Begin 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....
a priest in Rome on July 31, 1927. Following his return to Ohio, he briefly served as administrator of St. Anthony Church in Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. From 1930 to 1938, he served as secretary to Bishop Joseph Schrembs
Joseph Schrembs
Joseph Schrembs was a German-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Toledo and Bishop of Cleveland .-Early life and education:...
as well as vice-chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
and pro-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 Diocese of Cleveland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is a Roman Catholic diocese in Ohio. It was erected on April 23, 1847 by Pope Pius IX. The diocese lost territory in 1910 when the Diocese of Toledo was erected by Pope Pius X, and in 1943 when the Diocese of Youngstown was erected by Pope Pius XII...
.
Begin became an official
Official
An official is someone who holds an office in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority .A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public...
is of the diocesan tribunal in 1938. He served as director of both the Diocesan Council of Catholic Men and the seventh National Eucharistic Congress. He was also 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...
of the Rosemary Home for Crippled Children in Euclid
Euclid, Ohio
Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders Cleveland. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 48,920...
and diocesan vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for religious
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...
. He was named by Pope Pius XI a papal chamberlain
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1934, and raised by Pius XI to the rank of domestic prelate
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1936.
Cleveland
On March 22, 1947, Begin was appointed auxiliary bishopAuxiliary 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 Cleveland 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 Sala by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. 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 May 1 from Bishop Edward Francis Hoban
Edward Francis Hoban
Edward Francis Hoban was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Rockford and Bishop of Cleveland .-Biography:...
, with Bishops James A. McFadden
James A. McFadden
James Augustine McFadden was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Youngstown, Ohio .-Biography:...
and Joseph Thomas McGucken
Joseph Thomas McGucken
Joseph Thomas McGucken was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Sacramento and Archbishop of San Francisco .-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...
. He was named vicar general of the diocese on in March 1948 and 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. Agnes Church in Cleveland in January 1949.
During his tenure at St. Agnes, Begin advocated more services for and acceptance of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, who mostly composed the parishioners at St. Agnes. In 1954, he unsuccessfully tried to get a Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
charter for an interracial council in Cleveland. When the Knights of Columbus refused to give the charter, he declared, "The only reason they're being kept out is their color. Anyone who denies that is a pussy-footing liar."
Oakland
On January 27, 1962, Begin was appointed the first BishopOrdinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of the newly-erected Diocese of Oakland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California. The diocese comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. The diocese comprised Alameda
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
and Contra Costa Counties
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, and included 386,000 Catholics. His installation took place on April 28 of that year. Between 1962 and 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
Begin was buried in the Bishop's Crypt at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California. November 2, 2008, his remains were re-interred in the Cathedral Mausoleum of the new Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California.