John Joseph Sullivan
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Sullivan was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Grand Island
(1972-1977) and Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
(1977-1993).
, Kansas
, to Walter and Mary (née Berney) Sullivan. His father worked for the Electro-Motive Company. At age 10, he moved with his family to Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
. He received his early education at the parochial school
s of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he also served as an altar boy
to Bishop Francis Kelley
. He attended St. Benedict's College
in Atchison
, Kansas
, for two years before entering Kenrick Seminary
in St. Louis
, Missouri
, in 1939. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop Albert Lewis Fletcher
on September 23, 1944, for the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa
.
Following his ordination, Sullivan became a curate
at Holy Family Cathedral
in Tulsa
. He also served as director of Catholic Activities and as chaplain
at the University of Tulsa
. Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness
originally intended for him to study canon law
at the Catholic University of America
, but instead assigned him as pastor
of St. Mary's Church in Guthrie
in 1947. While in Guthrie, he recruited college students to work as volunteers among the poor. Sullivan became pastor of St. James Church in Oklahoma City in 1959. From 1961 to 1968, he was national director of lay
volunteers for the Catholic Church Extension Society
. Returning to Tulsa, he was made pastor of the Church of the Madalene and episcopal vicar
for Eastern Oklahoma
.
On July 25, 1972, Sullivan was appointed the fifth Bishop of Grand Island
, Nebraska
, by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on September 19 from Archbishop John R. Quinn
, with Bishops John L. May
and Charles Albert Buswell
serving as co-consecrators
. He was installed at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 21, 1972. After five years in Grand Island, Sullivan was named the sixth Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
on June 27, 1977. He was installed on the following August 17. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
, he retired on June 22, 1993.
Sullivan later died at the Jeanne Jugan Center in Kansas City, aged 80.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman 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 Grand Island
Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island is a Roman Catholic diocese in Grand Island, Nebraska. It is suffragan to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha. It was founded on April 11, 1917, after a decree from Pius X in 1912 with the first bishop appointed in 1913...
(1972-1977) and Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
(1977-1993).
Biography
John Sullivan was born in HortonHorton, Kansas
Horton is a city in Brown County, Kansas, United States. The population was 1,967 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Horton is located at...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, to Walter and Mary (née Berney) Sullivan. His father worked for the Electro-Motive Company. At age 10, he moved with his family to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. 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 the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he also served as an altar boy
Altar server
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
to Bishop Francis Kelley
Francis Kelley
Francis Clement Kelley was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Oklahoma. He was a Catholic Priest for 54 years, and Bishop for 23 years.-Early life:...
. He attended St. Benedict's College
Benedictine College
Benedictine College is a co-educational university in Atchison, Kansas, founded in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. It is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, and residential college located on bluffs overlooking the...
in Atchison
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, for two years before entering Kenrick Seminary
Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Kenrick–Glennon Seminary is a private not-for-profit Roman Catholic Seminary located in Shrewsbury, Missouri in St. Louis County. The Seminary is named after Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick and Cardinal John J. Glennon, former Archbishops of Saint Louis. The Seminary traces its origins to the...
in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, in 1939. He 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....
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....
by Bishop Albert Lewis Fletcher
Albert Lewis Fletcher
Albert Lewis Fletcher was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Little Rock from 1946 to 1972.-Biography:...
on September 23, 1944, for the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the midwestern region of the United States. Its ecclesiastical territory includes 46 counties in western Oklahoma. The Most Reverend Paul Stagg Coakley is the current archbishop...
.
Following his ordination, Sullivan became a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Holy Family Cathedral
Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa
Cathedral of the Holy Family is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It is the mother church of the Diocese of Tulsa and is the seat of the prelate bishop. It is located at 810 South Boulder Avenue in the city of Tulsa in the state of Oklahoma. The architect was William...
in Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. He also served as director of Catholic Activities and as 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 University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
. Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness
Eugene J. McGuinness
Eugene Joseph McGuinness was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh and Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa .-Biography:...
originally intended for him to study 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 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...
, but instead assigned him as 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. Mary's Church in Guthrie
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 9,925 at the 2000 census.Guthrie was the territorial and later the first state capital for Oklahoma...
in 1947. While in Guthrie, he recruited college students to work as volunteers among the poor. Sullivan became pastor of St. James Church in Oklahoma City in 1959. From 1961 to 1968, he was national director of lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
volunteers for the Catholic Church Extension Society
Catholic Church Extension Society
The Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States of America is a charitable organization affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church that seeks to support the Church's activities in under-resourced and isolated communities in the United States...
. Returning to Tulsa, he was made pastor of the Church of the Madalene 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...
for Eastern Oklahoma
Eastern Oklahoma
See Also: Green CountryEastern Oklahoma is usually defined as east of Oklahoma City and east of Interstate 35 in Oklahoma. The region includes Tulsa.The region is usually divided into two main areas: Northeast Oklahoma, and Southeast Oklahoma....
.
On July 25, 1972, Sullivan was appointed the fifth Bishop of Grand Island
Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island is a Roman Catholic diocese in Grand Island, Nebraska. It is suffragan to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha. It was founded on April 11, 1917, after a decree from Pius X in 1912 with the first bishop appointed in 1913...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, 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 September 19 from Archbishop John R. Quinn
John R. Quinn
John Raphael Quinn is a Roman Catholic bishop, currently the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of San Francisco; he served as the archdiocese's sixth archbishop from 1977 to 1995...
, with Bishops John L. May
John L. May
John Lawrence May was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Mobile and Archbishop of St. Louis .-Early life and education:...
and Charles Albert Buswell
Charles Albert Buswell
Charles Albert Buswell was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of Pueblo from 1959 to 1979. At the time of his death, he was one of the oldest bishops in the Church.-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 installed at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 21, 1972. After five years in Grand Island, Sullivan was named the sixth Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
on June 27, 1977. He was installed on the following August 17. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
, he retired on June 22, 1993.
Sullivan later died at the Jeanne Jugan Center in Kansas City, aged 80.