Hugh John O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Hugh John O'Neill was the Roman Catholic coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin
(1943-1946).
on 29 June 1898, the son of Edward and Elizabeth O'Neill. The family moved to Mosgiel
a few years later. He was educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Mosgiel and at the Christian Brothers School
in Dunedin. In 1915 he commenced at Holy Cross seminary
and was ordained by Bishop Whyte
at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin on 31 July 1921.
at the Pontifical Lateran University
(the Apollinaris) and resided at the Irish College
. He returned to New Zealand in 1923 and was appointed Professor of Canon Law and Scholastic Philosophy at Holy Cross College, Mosgiel
. He held that post from 1923 until 1934 when the Vincentian Fathers took over the seminary. In 1934 he became parish priest at Mosgiel. In 1939 he was appointed chaplain at St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
. While he held that post he was also Dominion organiser of the Pontifical Missionary Works, the Propogation of the Faith, the Holy Childhood, and the Missionary Union of the Clergy.
of Bareta and Coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin by Archbishop O'Shea of Wellington
on 25 March 1943. He resigned the office of coadjutor in 1946 because of ill health. For a time he acted as Vicar-General of the Wellington Archdiocese
and in 1950 his health improved sufficiently for him to lead the national pilgrimage to Rome for the Holy Year, but as his health became worse he was forced to relinquish active duties altogether.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunedin
The Latin Rite Catholic Diocese of Dunedin is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. It was formed on 26 November 1869 from a portion of the territory in the Diocese of Wellington, before it was elevated to an archdiocese....
(1943-1946).
Early life
O'Neill was born in DunedinDunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
on 29 June 1898, the son of Edward and Elizabeth O'Neill. The family moved to Mosgiel
Mosgiel
Mosgiel is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres west of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area, but was physically separate from the contiguous suburbs until...
a few years later. He was educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Mosgiel and at the Christian Brothers School
Kavanagh College
Kavanagh College is a Catholic Secondary school in Dunedin, New Zealand. The school in its present form dates from 1989 but its origins as a secondary school go back to 1871....
in Dunedin. In 1915 he commenced at Holy Cross seminary
Holy Cross College (New Zealand)
Holy Cross College or Holy Cross Seminary is the national Roman Catholic seminary of New Zealand for the training of priests. It was first opened in 1900 in Mosgiel and was relocated to Auckland in 1997.-Establishment:...
and was ordained by Bishop Whyte
James Whyte (bishop)
James Whyte was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin .-Early life:Whyte was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1868. He spent six years in ecclesiastical training for the priesthood at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny...
at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin on 31 July 1921.
Career
Immediately after ordination, O'Neill was sent to Rome where he studied canon lawCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
at the Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
(the Apollinaris) and resided at the Irish College
Pontifical Irish College
The Pontifical Irish College is a Roman Catholic seminary for the training and education of priests, in Rome.-Foundation and early history:Towards the close of the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII had sanctioned the foundation of an Irish college in Rome, and had assigned a large sum of money...
. He returned to New Zealand in 1923 and was appointed Professor of Canon Law and Scholastic Philosophy at Holy Cross College, Mosgiel
Holy Cross College (New Zealand)
Holy Cross College or Holy Cross Seminary is the national Roman Catholic seminary of New Zealand for the training of priests. It was first opened in 1900 in Mosgiel and was relocated to Auckland in 1997.-Establishment:...
. He held that post from 1923 until 1934 when the Vincentian Fathers took over the seminary. In 1934 he became parish priest at Mosgiel. In 1939 he was appointed chaplain at St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St Kevin's College in Oamaru, New Zealand was founded in 1927. It is a Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers and Dominican Sisters for boaders and day students...
. While he held that post he was also Dominion organiser of the Pontifical Missionary Works, the Propogation of the Faith, the Holy Childhood, and the Missionary Union of the Clergy.
Episcopate
Early in 1943, O'Neill received the news of his appointment as Coadutor Bishop of Dunedin. He was consecrated Titular BishopTitular 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 Bareta and Coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin by Archbishop O'Shea of Wellington
Thomas O'Shea (Archbishop)
Thomas O'Shea, SM was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, Metropolitan of New Zealand.He was born at San Francisco, California on 13 March 1870, the son of Edmond O'Shea, a miner, and his wife, Johanna Sullivan, both Irish-born, who had emigrated from Charleston, New Zealand. The family...
on 25 March 1943. He resigned the office of coadjutor in 1946 because of ill health. For a time he acted as Vicar-General of the Wellington Archdiocese
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington
The Latin Rite Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington is the Metropolitan Archdiocese of New Zealand. Catholics number about 83,214 . Parishes number 47 parishes and the archdiocese extends over central New Zealand between Levin and Masterton in the north to Kaikoura to Westport in the...
and in 1950 his health improved sufficiently for him to lead the national pilgrimage to Rome for the Holy Year, but as his health became worse he was forced to relinquish active duties altogether.