Lawrence Michael De Falco
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Michael DeFalco (August 25, 1915—September 22, 1979) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Amarillo
from 1963 to 1979.
, Pennsylvania
, to Rosario and Margret (née Desmone) DeFalco. His father was originally from Atena Lucana
and worked as a streetcar
company foreman. He entered St. Vincent's College
at Latrobe
in 1933. However, he was forced to enter St. John's Home Mission Seminary at Little Rock
, Arkansas
, in 1935, because the Diocese of Pittsburgh
to the Great Depression
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on June 11, 1942.
DeFalco then served as a curate
at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Fort Worth
, Texas
, until 1952, when he became vice-chancellor
of the Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth
. He briefly served as a curate at Sacred Heart Cathedral
in Dallas
before being sent in 1953 to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
, from where he obtained a Licentiate of Canon Law
. Following his return to Dallas in 1955, he became secretary
of the diocesan marriage tribunal
. He served as the founding pastor
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Dallas from 1956 to 1962. He was named a Papal Chamberlain
in 1961, and rector
of St. Patrick Cathedral at Fort Worth in 1962.
On April 16, 1963, DeFalco was appointed fifth Bishop of Amarillo
by Pope John XXIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 30 from Bishop Thomas Kiely Gorman
, with Bishops Francis Joseph Green
and Albert Lewis Fletcher
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Patrick Cathedral. He was installed
at Sacred Heart Cathedral
on June 13, 1963. Between 1963 and 1965, he attended three sessions of the Second Vatican Council
. During his 16-year-long tenure, he worked to implement the Council's reforms, establishing pastoral councils and senates of priests, of nuns, and of deacons. He also reduced diocesan debt, but was forced to close several schools and hospitals. St. Laurence Church
in Amarillo replaced Sacred Heart as the diocesan cathedral in 1975.
After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
, DeFalco resigned as Bishop of Amarillo on August 28, 1979. He died a month later at age 64. He is buried at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo.
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 Amarillo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo is a Roman Catholic diocese in Amarillo Texas. It was founded on August 3, 1926 .The diocese's past bishops include:*Rudolph Gerken *Robert Emmet Lucey *Laurence Julius...
from 1963 to 1979.
Biography
The eldest of nine children, Lawrence DeFalco was born in McKeesportMcKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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 Rosario and Margret (née Desmone) DeFalco. His father was originally from Atena Lucana
Atena Lucana
Atena Lucana is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy.-History:Atena Lucana is one of the most ancient settlements in the Vallo di Diano, as testified by the presence of prehistoric Megalithic walls. Later it was a Greek trading center, a...
and worked as a streetcar
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
company foreman. He entered St. Vincent's College
Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the...
at Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
in 1933. However, he was forced to enter St. John's Home Mission Seminary at Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, in 1935, because the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
to the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
. 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....
on June 11, 1942.
DeFalco then 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 St. Patrick's Cathedral in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, until 1952, when he became vice-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 Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 15, 1890 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese's cathedral is the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe....
. He briefly served as a curate at Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral may refer to:in Australia*Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria, Australiain Bosnia and Herzegovina* Cathedral of Jesus' Heart, Sarajevoin Canada...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
before being sent in 1953 to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
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...
, from where he obtained a Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law is the title of an advanced graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law...
. Following his return to Dallas in 1955, he became secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the diocesan marriage tribunal
Ecclesiastical court
An ecclesiastical court is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the Middle Ages in many areas of Europe these courts had much wider powers than before the development of nation states...
. He served as the founding 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 Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Dallas from 1956 to 1962. He 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"...
in 1961, and 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. Patrick Cathedral at Fort Worth in 1962.
On April 16, 1963, DeFalco was appointed fifth Bishop of Amarillo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo is a Roman Catholic diocese in Amarillo Texas. It was founded on August 3, 1926 .The diocese's past bishops include:*Rudolph Gerken *Robert Emmet Lucey *Laurence Julius...
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...
. 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 30 from Bishop Thomas Kiely Gorman
Thomas Kiely Gorman
Thomas Kiely Gorman was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Reno from 1931 to 1952, and Bishop of Dallas from 1954 to 1969.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Francis Joseph Green
Francis Joseph Green
Francis Joseph Green was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Tucson from 1960 to 1981.-Biography:...
and 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:...
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...
, at St. Patrick Cathedral. He was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
at Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral (Amarillo, Texas)
Sacred Heart Cathedral is a former cathedral church located in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It was the seat of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1927 to 1975.-Sacred Heart Parish:...
on June 13, 1963. Between 1963 and 1965, he attended three 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...
. During his 16-year-long tenure, he worked to implement the Council's reforms, establishing pastoral councils and senates of priests, of nuns, and of deacons. He also reduced diocesan debt, but was forced to close several schools and hospitals. St. Laurence Church
St. Laurence Catholic Church (Amarillo, Texas)
St. Laurence Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Amarillo located in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It served as the cathedral church of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1975 to 2011.-History:...
in Amarillo replaced Sacred Heart as the diocesan cathedral in 1975.
After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
, DeFalco resigned as Bishop of Amarillo on August 28, 1979. He died a month later at age 64. He is buried at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo.