John W. Shanahan
Encyclopedia
John Walter Shanahan was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Harrisburg
from 1899 until his death in 1916.
, to John and Margaret (née Donovan) Shanahan, who came to the United States
from County Cork
, Ireland
. He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
in Overbrook, and was ordained
to the priesthood
by his brother, Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan
, on January 2, 1869. He served as superintendent
of Catholic school
s in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
.
On January 2, 1899, Shanahan was appointed the third Bishop of Harrisburg
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 1 from Archbishop Patrick John Ryan
, with Bishops Ignatius Frederick Horstmann and Edmond Francis Prendergast
serving as co-consecrators
. His brother Jeremiah was the first to hold that office, serving between 1868 and his death in 1886.
During his 16-year-long tenure, Shanahan erected 27 new parishes
and increased the number of priests from 74 to 120. He opened an orphanage
for girls at Sylvan Heights and a protectory
for boys at Abbottstown
, and completed construction on the Cathedral of St. Patrick
in 1907. In 1907 he founded the Sisters of Saint Casimir
. He also established the motherhouses of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood and the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and invited to the diocese the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Joseph and the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Scranton
.
Shanahan later died at age 70.
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 Harrisburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
from 1899 until his death in 1916.
Biography
John Shanahan was born in Silver Lake, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
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...
, to John and Margaret (née Donovan) Shanahan, who came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, 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...
. He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Named for Charles Borromeo, it is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,...
in Overbrook, and 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 his brother, Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan
Jeremiah F. Shanahan
Jeremiah Francis Shanahan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania .-Biography:...
, on January 2, 1869. He served as superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
s in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
.
On January 2, 1899, Shanahan was appointed the third Bishop of Harrisburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. 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 May 1 from Archbishop Patrick John Ryan
Patrick John Ryan
Patrick John Ryan was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1884 until his death in 1911.-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Ignatius Frederick Horstmann and Edmond Francis Prendergast
Edmond Francis Prendergast
Edmond Francis Prendergast was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1911 until his death in 1918.-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...
. His brother Jeremiah was the first to hold that office, serving between 1868 and his death in 1886.
During his 16-year-long tenure, Shanahan erected 27 new parishes
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
and increased the number of priests from 74 to 120. He opened an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
for girls at Sylvan Heights and a protectory
Protectory
A protectory is a Roman Catholic institution for the shelter and training of the young, designed to afford neglected or abandoned children shelter, food, raiment and the rudiments of an education in religion, morals, science and manual training or industrial pursuits.Institutions of this character...
for boys at Abbottstown
Abbottstown, Pennsylvania
Abbottstown is a borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1011 at the 2010 census.-History:Abbottstown is named for John Abbott, who founded it in 1753.In 1950 Abbottstown had a population of 538.-Geography:...
, and completed construction on the Cathedral of St. Patrick
Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg
The Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg is a cathedral of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is the motherchurch of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg and is the seat of its prelate bishop. The cathedral was built from 1904 to 1907, is Italian Renaissance in style and capped...
in 1907. In 1907 he founded the Sisters of Saint Casimir
Sisters of Saint Casimir
The Sisters of Saint Casimir are a Roman Catholic religious community of women founded in 1907 in Scranton, Pennsylvania by Mother Maria Kaupas...
. He also established the motherhouses of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood and the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and invited to the diocese the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Joseph and the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
.
Shanahan later died at age 70.