James Edward McManus
Encyclopedia
James Edward McManus, C.SS.R.
(October 10, 1900—July 3, 1976) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. A Redemptorist
, he served as Bishop of Ponce
in Puerto Rico
(1947–63) and as an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of New York
(1963–70).
, New York
, the eighth of nine children of William and Elizabeth (née O'Laughlen) McManus. He received his early education at the parochial school
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn from 1906 to 1914. In 1915, he enrolled at St. Mary's College
, a preparatory school run by the Redemptorists
in North East
, Pennsylvania
. He then studied at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary at Esopus
from 1922 to 1928. He made his profession
as a Redemptorist in Ilchester
, Maryland
, on August 2, 1922.
to the priesthood
in Esopus. He was assigned to the Puerto Rican
mission in Caguas
in 1929. He later returned to the continental United States
to study at the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
, where he earned a Doctor of Canon Law
degree in 1937. He then served as professor of canon law
at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary until 1940, when he returned to Puerto Rico. He served as a pastor
in Aguadilla
(1940–45) and then in Mayagüez
(1945–47).
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following July 1 from Bishop William Tibertus McCarty
, with Bishops Aloysius Joseph Willinger
and William David O'Brien
serving as co-consecrators
, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn. His biggest contribution as Bishop of Ponce was the founding of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
in 1948. He also oversaw the move of a seminary from the Archdiocese of San Juan
to his diocese in Aibonito
.
During his tenure in Ponce, McManus became an outspoken critic of Luis Muñoz Marín
, who served as Governor of Puerto Rico
from 1949 to 1965. In the 1952 and 1956 elections, he opposed Muñoz Marín and supported the Republican Statehood Party, which demanded statehood
for the island and proposed an economic plan similar to that of the continental Republican Party
. In 1958, he feuded with Muñoz Marín over his program to crack down on gambling
, including bingo
games for the support of parish churches. He denounced the legalization of birth control
measures and a law that would divorce
couples who had been separated for more than three years. He also opposed the administration's measure to cut the tax-exempt donations to charity by corporations from 15% of gross income to 5% of surplus.
In 1960, after the Legislative Assembly
failed to pass a law allowing religious instruction for schoolchildren, McManus said that the administration of Muñoz Marín was "responsible for the moral evils that cloud and de-Christianize
our society." In August of that year, he helped organize the Christian Action Party, which he urged all Catholics to support. The party nominated Salvador Perea, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University, as its candidate for governor, but was caught in a controversy over the validity of the signatures it collected to get on the ballot.
A month before the election, McManus and two other bishops issued a pastoral letter
that prohibited Catholics from voting for Muñoz Marín's Popular Democratic Party
, which they claimed "accepts as its own the morality of a 'regime of license,' denying Christian morality..." The letter also stated, "It is evident that the philosophy of the Popular Democratic Party is anti-Christian and anti-Catholic, and that it is based on the modern heresy
that popular will and not divine law decides what is moral and immoral. This philosophy destroys the Ten Commandments
of God and permits that they be substituted by popular and human criteria." McManus insisted that Catholics who disobeyed the injunction by voting for the Popular Democrats would commit a sin. The letter resulted in widespread protests in Puerto Rico and sparked open controversy within the Church. Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York declared that Puerto Rican voters would not be penalized by the Church while Archbishop James P. Davis
of San Juan defended the bishops. Muñoz Marín denounced the letter as an "incredible medieval interference in a political campaign."
Between 1962 and 1965, McManus attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
.
of New York and Titular Bishop
of Benda by Pope Paul VI
. He denied that his transfer to New York had anything to do with his opposition to Governor Muñoz Marín, calling his appointment "routine." As an auxiliary bishop, he served as pastor of St. Cecilia's Church in Manhattan
(1964–66) and episcopal vicar
of Sullivan
and Ulster Counties
, a post which he held until his retirement in 1970.
McManus died at the Monmouth Medical Center
in Long Branch
, New Jersey
, at age 75.
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
(October 10, 1900—July 3, 1976) was an American
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...
. A Redemptorist
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
, he served as Bishop of Ponce
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and consists of the southern part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth. The diocese is led by a prelate bishop which pastors the motherchurch in the...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
(1947–63) and as an 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 the Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
(1963–70).
Early life and education
James McManus was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the eighth of nine children of William and Elizabeth (née O'Laughlen) McManus. 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:...
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn from 1906 to 1914. In 1915, he enrolled at St. Mary's College
Mercyhurst North East
Mercyhurst North East is a Catholic liberal arts college located in North East, Pennsylvania, and is a branch campus of Mercyhurst College ....
, a preparatory school run by the Redemptorists
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
in North East
North East, Pennsylvania
North East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Erie. Fruit growing was an early economic endeavor, and is still to this day, as this is a popular area for especially cherries and grapes. There is an annual Cherry Festival in the summer and an annual in the fall. It contains...
, 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...
. He then studied at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary at Esopus
Esopus, New York
Esopus is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 9,331 at the 2000 census. The name comes from the local Indian tribe and means "high banks."...
from 1922 to 1928. He made his 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...
as a Redemptorist in Ilchester
Ilchester, Maryland
Ilchester is an unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland. It was named after the village of Ilchester in England.-History:Located about southeast of Ellicott City, Ilchester was settled by the Ellicott family in the late 18th century...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, on August 2, 1922.
Priesthood
On June 19, 1927, McManus 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....
in Esopus. He was assigned to the Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
mission in Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
in 1929. He later returned to the continental United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to study at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he earned a Doctor of 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...
degree in 1937. He then served as professor of canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary until 1940, when he returned to Puerto Rico. He served as a 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"....
in Aguadilla
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla , founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo...
(1940–45) and then in Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
(1945–47).
Ponce
On May 10, 1947, McManus was appointed Bishop of PonceRoman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and consists of the southern part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth. The diocese is led by a prelate bishop which pastors the motherchurch in the...
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 July 1 from Bishop William Tibertus McCarty
William Tibertus McCarty
William Tibertus McCarty, C.SS.R. was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. A Redemptorist, he served as Bishop of Rapid City from 1948 to 1969.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Aloysius Joseph Willinger
Aloysius Joseph Willinger
Aloysius Joseph Willinger, C.Ss.R. was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Ponce from 1929 to 1946, and Bishop of Monterey-Fresno from 1953 to 1967.-Biography:...
and William David O'Brien
William David O'Brien
William David O'Brien was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1934 until his death in 1962, and was named an Archbishop in 1953....
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 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn. His biggest contribution as Bishop of Ponce was the founding of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a Roman Catholic university located in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It provides courses in the areas of education, business administration, arts and human studies and science, leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate Degrees. Its campus is also home...
in 1948. He also oversaw the move of a seminary from the Archdiocese of San Juan
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, comprising the northeast portion of the island of Puerto Rico, a commonwealth of the United States...
to his diocese in Aibonito
Aibonito, Puerto Rico
Aibonito is a small mountain town in Puerto Rico located in the Mountain range of Cayey, north of Salinas; south of Barranquitas and Comerio; east of Coamo; and west of Cidra, and Cayey. Aibonito is spread over 8 wards and Aibonito Pueblo...
.
During his tenure in Ponce, McManus became an outspoken critic of Luis Muñoz Marín
Luis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
, who served as Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
from 1949 to 1965. In the 1952 and 1956 elections, he opposed Muñoz Marín and supported the Republican Statehood Party, which demanded statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
for the island and proposed an economic plan similar to that of the continental Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. In 1958, he feuded with Muñoz Marín over his program to crack down on gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, including bingo
Bingo (card game)
Bingo is a card game named by analogy to the game bingo. The game is played with a bridge deck of 52 cards. The dealer gives each player X cards, which are held in the hand or placed face-down in front of the player. The dealer places Y cards face down in the center of the table...
games for the support of parish churches. He denounced the legalization of birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
measures and a law that would divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
couples who had been separated for more than three years. He also opposed the administration's measure to cut the tax-exempt donations to charity by corporations from 15% of gross income to 5% of surplus.
In 1960, after the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico
The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the territorial legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The structure and responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly are defined in Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico....
failed to pass a law allowing religious instruction for schoolchildren, McManus said that the administration of Muñoz Marín was "responsible for the moral evils that cloud and de-Christianize
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
our society." In August of that year, he helped organize the Christian Action Party, which he urged all Catholics to support. The party nominated Salvador Perea, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University, as its candidate for governor, but was caught in a controversy over the validity of the signatures it collected to get on the ballot.
A month before the election, McManus and two other bishops issued a pastoral letter
Pastoral letter
A Pastoral letter, often called simply a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or laity of his diocese, or to both, containing either general admonition, instruction or consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances...
that prohibited Catholics from voting for Muñoz Marín's Popular Democratic Party
Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth....
, which they claimed "accepts as its own the morality of a 'regime of license,' denying Christian morality..." The letter also stated, "It is evident that the philosophy of the Popular Democratic Party is anti-Christian and anti-Catholic, and that it is based on the modern heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
that popular will and not divine law decides what is moral and immoral. This philosophy destroys the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
of God and permits that they be substituted by popular and human criteria." McManus insisted that Catholics who disobeyed the injunction by voting for the Popular Democrats would commit a sin. The letter resulted in widespread protests in Puerto Rico and sparked open controversy within the Church. Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York declared that Puerto Rican voters would not be penalized by the Church while Archbishop James P. Davis
James Peter Davis
James Peter Davis was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of San Juan and Archbishop of Santa Fe .-Biography:...
of San Juan defended the bishops. Muñoz Marín denounced the letter as an "incredible medieval interference in a political campaign."
Between 1962 and 1965, McManus 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...
.
New York
McManus resigned as Bishop of Ponce for reasons of health on November 18, 1963. On the same date, he 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 New York 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 Benda 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 denied that his transfer to New York had anything to do with his opposition to Governor Muñoz Marín, calling his appointment "routine." As an auxiliary bishop, he served as pastor of St. Cecilia's Church in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
(1964–66) and episcopal vicar
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 Sullivan
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
and Ulster Counties
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
, a post which he held until his retirement in 1970.
McManus died at the Monmouth Medical Center
Monmouth Medical Center
Monmouth Medical Center, in Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey, is one of New Jersey’s largest community academic medical centers and is an academic affiliate of Philadelphia’s Drexel University College of Medicine. It provides Post-graduate education via several medical residencies in...
in Long Branch
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, at age 75.