James J. Davis (Catholic bishop)
Encyclopedia
James J. Davis was a 20th-century bishop
of the Catholic Church in the United States
. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Davenport
in the state of Iowa
from 1906 to 1926.
, Ireland
, to James and Margaret Davis. All of his siblings either entered a religious order or the priesthood. His eldest brother, Thomas, entered the Carmelites
and became provincial in Ireland. Richard became a priest of the Diocese of Louisville
, Kentucky
. His three sisters also entered religious life. One of his sisters became the superior of Sacred Heart Convent at Sag Harbor, New York
and another, Sr. Sebastian, was a member of the same order in France
. A third sister, Sr. Constance, became the superior of the Immaculate Conception Academy at Newport, Kentucky
.
Davis studied with the Carmelites at St. Carmel at Knocktopher
, and studied for the priesthood at St. Patrick's Ecclesiastical College
in Carlow
. While he was in school he was recruited to serve in the Diocese of Dubuque
by Bishop John Hennessy
. He was ordained a priest on June 21, 1878 by Bishop James Walshe
of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
.
Shortly after his ordination he left Ireland and came to Dubuque, Iowa
. He was assigned for a short time to St. Raphael’s Cathedral, and was then assigned to St. Peter’s in Windham, which he had trouble finding because it wasn’t on any map of Iowa. When the Diocese of Davenport was established on May 8, 1881, Davis was the pastor of St. Mary's Church in Oxford
, and he became a priest of the new diocese. In 1885 he was transferred to St. Michael’s
in Holbrook and its mission in Parnell
where Davis built a church and a school. At the time of his pastorate St. Michael’s was the largest parish in the diocese. In 1889 he became rector
of St. Margaret’s Cathedral. He supervised the construction of the new Sacred Heart Cathedral as well as the parish's new rectory. He became the vicar general
of the diocese in 1895.
Saint Pius X appointed Davis Titular Bishop
of Milopotamus and Coadjutor Bishop
of Davenport. He was consecrated bishop in Sacred Heart Cathedral on November 30, 1904 by Archbishop John J. Keane
of Dubuque. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Henry Cosgrove
of Davenport and Mathias Clement Lenihan
of Great Falls
. He succeeded to the See of Davenport on December 22, 1906 upon the death of Bishop Cosgrove. Bishop Davis was the second bishop of Davenport in a row to be named from the clergy of the diocese.
Bishop Davis would serve the diocese as its bishop for 20 years. In 1908 the Redemptorists
established a mission house and St. Alphonsus parish in Davenport, and in 1911 the Discalced Carmelites
from Baltimore
established a monastery
in the diocese. Two other religious communities that were already established in the diocese, built new motherhouses. The Congregation of the Humility of Mary built their new headquarters in 1911 in Ottumwa
with the financial assistance of the clergy. The Sisters of St. Francis built their new motherhouse, Mt St. Claire Convent, in Clinton
.
It was during this time that Bishop Davis started to standardize parish administration. He required pastors to file annual reports that were audited and signed by two laymen. The parishes themselves were incorporated according to the laws of the State of Iowa.
The Diocese of Des Moines
was established on August 12, 1911 from the western half of the Davenport Diocese. Davis was named administrator of the new diocese until a bishop was named. At the time the Holy See
was petitioned to establish the new diocese, Bishop Davis requested that all the diocesan boundaries in Iowa be redrawn for a more equitable distributions of population. If the Davenport Diocese was simply divided in half, it would be reduced to 35,000 Catholics and the new diocese would have only 25,000. The Archdiocese of Dubuque had 109,000 Catholics and the Diocese of Sioux City
had 50,000 Catholics within its boundaries. While the request was not fulfilled, the Davenport Diocese received Clinton County
from the archdiocese to compensate it for its loss, and it gave the diocese its current borders. The diocese at this time had 50,000 Catholics in a total population of 589,000.
During World War I
Bishop Davis joined other members of the Catholic hierarchy in the United States in pledging their support to President Wilson
for the war effort. He encouraged men to sign up for the military, women to be supportive of the cause and vowed religious to offer their services to the war effort. Bishop Davis preached a sermon at St. Anthony’s Church
in Davenport on patriotism. He was quoted in the Catholic Messenger, “It is not the flamboyant generalization of patriotism or Fourth of July oratory, but it is the patriotism that acts and responds to the call of the President. The Catholic Church teaches loyalty to the state authority, which is of God…the Catholic is the first to respond to the call of the country—the first to pay, even with his life, for what his government has given him.”
St. Ambrose College
started enrolling women on a limited basis by admitting members of religious orders of teaching sisters in 1924. The next year the Congregation of the Humility of Mary opened St. Joseph Junior College in Ottumwa
. It was the first institution of higher education for women in the diocese. The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women was also organized in 1925.
, and on December 13, 1923 the Rev. Edward D. Howard
of the Archdiocese of Dubuque was appointed by Pope Pius XI. Bishop Howard, however, was appointed the Archbishop of Oregon City eight months prior to Davis' death. His death occurred on December 2, 1926, and he was laid to rest with his predecessors in the crypt of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Their bodies were later moved to the Bishop's Circle in Mt. Calvary Cemetery
in Davenport.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Catholic Church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
in the state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
from 1906 to 1926.
Early life and ministry
James Davis was born in Tinvaum, County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, 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...
, to James and Margaret Davis. All of his siblings either entered a religious order or the priesthood. His eldest brother, Thomas, entered the Carmelites
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
and became provincial in Ireland. Richard became a priest of the Diocese of Louisville
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville consists of twenty-four counties in Central Kentucky, USA, covering . It is the seat of the Metropolitan Province of Louisville, which comprises the states of Kentucky and Tennessee...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. His three sisters also entered religious life. One of his sisters became the superior of Sacred Heart Convent at Sag Harbor, New York
Sag Harbor, New York
Sag Harbor is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, with parts in both the Towns of East Hampton and Southampton. The population was 2,313 at the 2000 census....
and another, Sr. Sebastian, was a member of the same order in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. A third sister, Sr. Constance, became the superior of the Immaculate Conception Academy at Newport, Kentucky
Newport, Kentucky
Newport is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers. The population was 15,273 at the 2010 census. Historically, it was one of four county seats of Campbell County. Newport is part of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Metro Area which...
.
Davis studied with the Carmelites at St. Carmel at Knocktopher
Knocktopher
Knocktopher is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated on the M9 between the villages of Stoneyford to the north, and Ballyhale to the south....
, and studied for the priesthood at St. Patrick's Ecclesiastical College
St. Patrick's, Carlow College
St Patrick's, Carlow College, founded in 1782 by Dr James Keefe, then Roman Catholic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, and his co-adjutor Bishop Daniel Delany, and opened in 1793, is a college in Carlow, Ireland. Initially he attempted to open a seminary in Tullow, but instead took out a 999 year...
in Carlow
Carlow
Carlow is the county town of County Carlow in Ireland. It is situated in the south-east of Ireland, 84 km from Dublin. County Carlow is the second smallest county in Ireland by area, however Carlow Town is the 14th largest urban area in Ireland by population according to the 2006 census. The...
. While he was in school he was recruited to serve in the Diocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
by Bishop John Hennessy
John Hennessy (Archbishop)
-External links:**...
. He was ordained a priest on June 21, 1878 by Bishop James Walshe
James Walshe
Rev Dr. James Walshe DD was a catholic priest and Bishop in Kildare and Leighlin, before becoming a bishop he was President of Carlow College where he had previously been a professor...
of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin...
.
Shortly after his ordination he left Ireland and came to Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
. He was assigned for a short time to St. Raphael’s Cathedral, and was then assigned to St. Peter’s in Windham, which he had trouble finding because it wasn’t on any map of Iowa. When the Diocese of Davenport was established on May 8, 1881, Davis was the pastor of St. Mary's Church in Oxford
Oxford, Iowa
Oxford is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 705 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oxford is located at ....
, and he became a priest of the new diocese. In 1885 he was transferred to St. Michael’s
St. Michael's Catholic Church (Holbrook, Iowa)
St. Michael’s Catholic Church is a former parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church is located on County Road F 52, east of Parnell, Iowa. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St...
in Holbrook and its mission in Parnell
Parnell, Iowa
Parnell is a city in Iowa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 220 at the 2000 census.-History:Parnell, in Fillmore Township, Iowa County, Iowa, was named after Charles Stewart Parnell, a noble Irish statesman who had come to the American people to plead the cause of Ireland's...
where Davis built a church and a school. At the time of his pastorate St. Michael’s was the largest parish in the diocese. In 1889 he became rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Margaret’s Cathedral. He supervised the construction of the new Sacred Heart Cathedral as well as the parish's new rectory. He became the 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 in 1895.
Bishop of Davenport
On October 7, 1904, PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Saint Pius X appointed Davis 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 Milopotamus and Coadjutor Bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Davenport. He was consecrated bishop in Sacred Heart Cathedral on November 30, 1904 by Archbishop John J. Keane
John Joseph Keane
John Joseph Keane was an American Roman Catholic archbishop in the late 19th and early 20th century.-Early Life & Ministry:...
of Dubuque. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Henry Cosgrove
Henry Cosgrove
Henry Cosgrove was a late 19th century and early 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the second bishop of Diocese of Davenport, in the state of Iowa from 1884-1906....
of Davenport and Mathias Clement Lenihan
Mathias Clement Lenihan
Mathias Clement Lenihan, was a 20th century archbishop in the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls in the state of Montana from 1904-30.-Early Life & Ministry:...
of Great Falls
Roman Catholic Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
The Diocese of Great Falls-Billings is the Catholic diocese of eastern Montana, established in 1904.Pope Pius X erected the "Diocese of Great Falls" on May 18, 1904, by dividing the Diocese of Helena, which previously comprised the entire state....
. He succeeded to the See of Davenport on December 22, 1906 upon the death of Bishop Cosgrove. Bishop Davis was the second bishop of Davenport in a row to be named from the clergy of the diocese.
Bishop Davis would serve the diocese as its bishop for 20 years. In 1908 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,...
established a mission house and St. Alphonsus parish in Davenport, and in 1911 the Discalced Carmelites
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
from Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
established a monastery
Carmel of Eldridge (Iowa)
Regina Coeli Monastery is an historic building located in Bettendorf, Iowa, United States and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984. The building currently houses an addictions rehabilitation facility called The Abbey Center.The Discalced Carmelite nuns who built...
in the diocese. Two other religious communities that were already established in the diocese, built new motherhouses. The Congregation of the Humility of Mary built their new headquarters in 1911 in Ottumwa
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
with the financial assistance of the clergy. The Sisters of St. Francis built their new motherhouse, Mt St. Claire Convent, in Clinton
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
.
It was during this time that Bishop Davis started to standardize parish administration. He required pastors to file annual reports that were audited and signed by two laymen. The parishes themselves were incorporated according to the laws of the State of Iowa.
The Diocese of Des Moines
Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
The Diocese of Des Moines is the Roman Catholic diocese for the southwestern quarter of the state of Iowa.Dioecesis Desmoinensis is the Latin title of the diocese, and the Diocese of Des Moines is the corporate title of the diocese. The Cathedral parish for the Diocese is St. Ambrose's Cathedral....
was established on August 12, 1911 from the western half of the Davenport Diocese. Davis was named administrator of the new diocese until a bishop was named. At the time the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
was petitioned to establish the new diocese, Bishop Davis requested that all the diocesan boundaries in Iowa be redrawn for a more equitable distributions of population. If the Davenport Diocese was simply divided in half, it would be reduced to 35,000 Catholics and the new diocese would have only 25,000. The Archdiocese of Dubuque had 109,000 Catholics and the Diocese of Sioux City
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City is the Roman Catholic diocese for the northwestern quarter of the state of Iowa, US The diocese comprises 24 counties in northwestern Iowa, and it covers an area of ....
had 50,000 Catholics within its boundaries. While the request was not fulfilled, the Davenport Diocese received Clinton County
Clinton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 49,116 in the county, with a population density of . There were 21,733 housing units, of which 20,223 were occupied.-2000 census:...
from the archdiocese to compensate it for its loss, and it gave the diocese its current borders. The diocese at this time had 50,000 Catholics in a total population of 589,000.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Bishop Davis joined other members of the Catholic hierarchy in the United States in pledging their support to President Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
for the war effort. He encouraged men to sign up for the military, women to be supportive of the cause and vowed religious to offer their services to the war effort. Bishop Davis preached a sermon at St. Anthony’s Church
St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)
Saint Anthony's Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. The church is located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of 4th and Main Streets. It is the first church congregation organized in the city of Davenport and the second, after St. Raphael's...
in Davenport on patriotism. He was quoted in the Catholic Messenger, “It is not the flamboyant generalization of patriotism or Fourth of July oratory, but it is the patriotism that acts and responds to the call of the President. The Catholic Church teaches loyalty to the state authority, which is of God…the Catholic is the first to respond to the call of the country—the first to pay, even with his life, for what his government has given him.”
St. Ambrose College
Saint Ambrose University
St. Ambrose University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It is located in a residential area of Davenport, Iowa.-History:...
started enrolling women on a limited basis by admitting members of religious orders of teaching sisters in 1924. The next year the Congregation of the Humility of Mary opened St. Joseph Junior College in Ottumwa
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
. It was the first institution of higher education for women in the diocese. The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women was also organized in 1925.
Later life & Death
As his health declined Davis requested an 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...
, and on December 13, 1923 the Rev. Edward D. Howard
Edward Howard (bishop)
Edward Daniel Howard was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Portland from 1926 to 1966.-Early life and education:...
of the Archdiocese of Dubuque was appointed by Pope Pius XI. Bishop Howard, however, was appointed the Archbishop of Oregon City eight months prior to Davis' death. His death occurred on December 2, 1926, and he was laid to rest with his predecessors in the crypt of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Their bodies were later moved to the Bishop's Circle in Mt. Calvary Cemetery
Mount Calvary Cemetery (Davenport, Iowa)
Mount Calvary Cemetery is located in north-central Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was established as St. Marguerite’s Cemetery in the 1850s on of property donated by Antoine LeClaire. At the time the cemetery lay outside the city of Davenport...
in Davenport.