Joseph Howard Hodges
Encyclopedia
Joseph Howard Hodges was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston
from 1962 until his death in 1985.
, West Virginia
, to Joseph Howard and Edina Belle (née Hendricks) Hodges. He and his family later moved to Martinsburg
, where he attended St. Joseph's High School. After graduating from St. Joseph's in 1928, he studied St. Charles College
in Catonsville
, Maryland
(1928-1930). He was then sent to further his studies at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
in Rome on December 8, 1935. Following his return to the United States
, he was attached to the Diocese of Richmond
, Virginia
, and served as a curate
at Sacred Heart Church in Danville
. He served at St. Andrew's Church in Roanoke
(1939-1945) before becoming director of the diocesan mission band. He was named pastor
of St. Peter's Church in Richmond
in 1955.
On August 8, 1952, Hodges was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Richmond and Titular Bishop
of Rusadus by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following October 15 from Bishop Peter Leo Ireton
, with Bishops Vincent Stanislaus Waters
and John Francis Dearden serving as co-consecrators
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he continued to served as pastor of St. Peter's Church. Returning to his native West Virginia, he was named Coadjutor Bishop
of Wheeling
on May 31, 1961. Upon the death of Archbishop John Joseph Swint
, Hodges succeeded him as the fifth Bishop of Wheeling
on November 23, 1962.
Hodges attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
between 1962 and 1965. He dedicated much of his administration to implementing the reforms of the Council in the diocese, establishing a Liturgical Commission, Priests' Senate, Sisters' Council, and Cursillo
movement. A strong supporter of ecumenism
, he established a Commission for Religious Unity in 1964, co-founded the Joint Commission of Roman Catholics and Episcopalians in 1978 with the Episcopal Bishop of West Virginia
, and joined the West Virginia Council of Churches in 1981. He mandated parish councils
in 1968, introduced extraordinary ministers
in 1970 and permanent deacons
in 1975, and renovated the exterior and interior of St. Joseph's Cathedral
in 1973.
The diocese was renamed as the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston on August 21, 1974. In 1976 he established the Diocesan Pro-Life
Office and led a public protest against the opening of a Wheeling abortion
clinic. Hodges was also known as a social reformer, using his office to challenge the social, economic, and political injustices in Appalachia
. He publicly supported the civil rights movement, urged local parishes to begin social outreach programs, and established such social ministry programs as soup kitchens and elderly-assistance programs. He also served as chairman
of the USCCB
Ad Hoc Committee for the Campaign for Human Development.
Hodges died from lung cancer
at Wheeling Hospital, aged 73. He is buried at Mount Calvary Chapel in Wheeling.
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 Wheeling-Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate...
from 1962 until his death in 1985.
Biography
Joseph Hodges was born in Harpers FerryHarpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, to Joseph Howard and Edina Belle (née Hendricks) Hodges. He and his family later moved to Martinsburg
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
, where he attended St. Joseph's High School. After graduating from St. Joseph's in 1928, he studied St. Charles College
St. Charles College, Maryland
St. Charles College was a seminary college in Catonsville, Maryland, originally from Ellicott City, Maryland.- 1776:Charles Carroll of Carrollton signs the Declaration of Independence for Maryland. One of the wealthiest men in the Americas, Carroll staked his fortune on the American Revolution...
in Catonsville
Catonsville, Maryland
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
, 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...
(1928-1930). He was then sent to further his studies at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. 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....
in Rome on December 8, 1935. Following his return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he was attached to the Diocese of Richmond
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the eastern shore...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and served 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 Sacred Heart Church in Danville
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
. He served at St. Andrew's Church in Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
(1939-1945) before becoming director of the diocesan mission band. He was named 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. Peter's Church in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in 1955.
On August 8, 1952, Hodges was appointed 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 Richmond 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 Rusadus 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 October 15 from Bishop Peter Leo Ireton
Peter Leo Ireton
Peter Leo Ireton was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond from 1945 until his death in 1958.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh from 1945 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
and John Francis Dearden 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...
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he continued to served as pastor of St. Peter's Church. Returning to his native West Virginia, he was named 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 Wheeling
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate...
on May 31, 1961. Upon the death of Archbishop John Joseph Swint
John Joseph Swint
John Joseph Swint was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wheeling from 1922 until his death in 1962.-Biography:...
, Hodges succeeded him as the fifth Bishop of Wheeling
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate...
on November 23, 1962.
Hodges 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...
between 1962 and 1965. He dedicated much of his administration to implementing the reforms of the Council in the diocese, establishing a Liturgical Commission, Priests' Senate, Sisters' Council, and Cursillo
Cursillo
Cursillos in Christianity is a ministry of the Roman Catholic Church...
movement. A strong supporter of ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, he established a Commission for Religious Unity in 1964, co-founded the Joint Commission of Roman Catholics and Episcopalians in 1978 with the Episcopal Bishop of West Virginia
Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia
The Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing all 55 counties within the state of West Virginia...
, and joined the West Virginia Council of Churches in 1981. He mandated parish councils
Parish council (US Catholic Church)
Not to be confused with Pastoral CouncilIn American Roman Catholic parishes, the parish council arose after Vatican II in the new era of lay participation in parish decision making. It was a response to the Vatican II Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People...
in 1968, introduced extraordinary ministers
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
An extraordinary minister of Holy Communion in the Catholic Church is, under the Code of Canon Law, "an acolyte, or another of Christ's faithful deputed", in certain circumstances, to distribute Holy Communion...
in 1970 and permanent deacons
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1975, and renovated the exterior and interior of St. Joseph's Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Joseph of Wheeling
The Cathedral of Saint Joseph of Wheeling or Saint Joseph's Cathedral is the seat of the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. In addition to being the seat of the bishop, the cathedral is home to the oldest congregation in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia.-History:The...
in 1973.
The diocese was renamed as the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston on August 21, 1974. In 1976 he established the Diocesan Pro-Life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
Office and led a public protest against the opening of a Wheeling abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
clinic. Hodges was also known as a social reformer, using his office to challenge the social, economic, and political injustices in Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
. He publicly supported the civil rights movement, urged local parishes to begin social outreach programs, and established such social ministry programs as soup kitchens and elderly-assistance programs. He also served as chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the USCCB
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
Ad Hoc Committee for the Campaign for Human Development.
Hodges died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at Wheeling Hospital, aged 73. He is buried at Mount Calvary Chapel in Wheeling.