John R. McGann (Bishop)
Encyclopedia
John Raymond McGann was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Rockville Centre
from 1976 to 2000.
, New York
, to Thomas and Mary (née Ryan) McGann. He received his early education at the parochial school
of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, graduating in 1938. He then began his studies for the priesthood
at Cathedral College
in Brooklyn, and afterwards attended Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington
from 1944 to 1950.
a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn
by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy
. His first assignment was as a curate
at St. Anne's Church in Brentwood
, where he served for seven years. He also served as an assistant chaplain
at Pilgrim State Hospital
and a professor at St. Joseph's Academy
, both in Brentwood (1950-54).
In 1957, McGann was named assistant personal secretary to Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg
and assistant chancellor
of the newly-erected Diocese of Rockville Centre
. He became personal secretary to Bishop Kellenberg in 1959, and was named a papal chamberlain
by Pope John XXIII
that same year. In addition to his pastoral work at St. Agnes Cathedral
, he was made vice-chancellor of the diocese in 1967 and served as secretary of the diocesan board of consultors.
of Rockville Centre and titular bishop
of Morosbisdus by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on January 7, 1971 from Bishop Kellenberg, with Bishops Vincent John Baldwin
and Charles Richard Mulrooney
serving as co-consecrators
. He was elected treasurer of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1984.
since 1999. McGann died at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, at age 77.
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 Rockville Centre
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre comprises the territory of Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state, USA. Founded in 1957, this diocese was created from territory that once belonged to the Diocese of Brooklyn...
from 1976 to 2000.
Early life and education
John McGann 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...
, to Thomas and Mary (née Ryan) McGann. 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 Good Counsel Church, graduating in 1938. He then began his studies 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 Cathedral College
Cathedral Preparatory Seminary (Queens)
Cathedral Preparatory Seminary is a private, Roman Catholic high school and seminary in Elmhurst, Queens, New York. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn...
in Brooklyn, and afterwards attended Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
from 1944 to 1950.
Priesthood
On June 3, 1950, McGann 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 for the Diocese of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy
Thomas Edmund Molloy
Thomas Edmund Molloy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Brooklyn from 1921 until his death in 1956.-Biography:...
. His first assignment was as 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 St. Anne's Church in Brentwood
Brentwood, New York
Brentwood is a hamlet of the Town of Islip in Suffolk County, New York. According to the 2000 Census, the population of Brentwood is 53,917.The colony was established on March 21, 1851, on 750 acres of land on Long Island, New York, by Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews...
, where he served for seven years. He also served as an assistant 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 Pilgrim State Hospital
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, formerly known as Pilgrim State Hospital, is a state-run psychiatric hospital located in Brentwood, New York. At the time it opened, it was the largest hospital of any kind in the world...
and a professor at St. Joseph's Academy
Academy of Saint Joseph
The Academy of Saint Joseph, in Brentwood, New York, was a Catholic college-preparatory school for Kindergarten to Grade 12, single-sex for girls grades 9 - 12...
, both in Brentwood (1950-54).
In 1957, McGann was named assistant personal secretary to Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg
Walter P. Kellenberg
Walter Philip Kellenberg was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Ogdensburg and Bishop of Rockville Centre .-Biography:...
and assistant 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....
of the newly-erected Diocese of Rockville Centre
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre comprises the territory of Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state, USA. Founded in 1957, this diocese was created from territory that once belonged to the Diocese of Brooklyn...
. He became personal secretary to Bishop Kellenberg in 1959, and was named 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"...
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...
that same year. In addition to his pastoral work at St. Agnes Cathedral
St. Agnes Cathedral
St. Agnes Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York, on Long Island. It is the seat of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The Most Reverend William Murphy is the ordinary bishop of the Diocese and pastor of the Cathedral parish....
, he was made vice-chancellor of the diocese in 1967 and served as secretary of the diocesan board of consultors.
Episcopacy
On November 12, 1970, McGann 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 Rockville Centre 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 Morosbisdus 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 January 7, 1971 from Bishop Kellenberg, with Bishops Vincent John Baldwin
Vincent John Baldwin
Vincent John Baldwin was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre from 1962 until his death in 1979.-Biography:...
and Charles Richard Mulrooney
Charles Richard Mulrooney
Charles Richard Mulrooney was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn from 1959 to 1981.-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 elected treasurer of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1984.
Later life and death
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, McGann resigned as Bishop of Rockville Centre on January 4, 2000. He was succeeded by Bishop James T. McHugh, who had served as his coadjutor bishopCoadjutor 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...
since 1999. McGann died at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, at age 77.