Michael Corrigan
Encyclopedia
Michael Augustine Corrigan (August 13, 1839 – May 5, 1902) was an American prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
, who served as the third archbishop of New York from 1885 to 1902.
, the fifth of nine children of Thomas and Mary English Corrigan, both of whom had emigrated from Ireland. Thomas Corrigan owned a retail grocery and liquor business in Newark, and the family's well-to-do status allowed Michael to pursue his educational interests. He attended St. Mary's College
in Wilmington, Delaware, from 1853-1855, Mount Saint Mary's University
in Emmitsburg, Maryland
from 1855-1857, spent a year in Europe, and ultimately received his baccalaureate from Mount Saint Mary's in 1859. He thereafter became a member of the first class at the North American College
in Rome, was ordained to the priesthood in 1863, and received the doctorate of divinity in 1864.
Corrigan returned to New Jersey in 1864, where he joined the faculty at Seton Hall College and the Immaculate Conception Seminary, both located in South Orange, as professor of theology and history. He soon achieved a reputation within the hierarchy for sound scholarship, and he also provided pastoral care to Catholics in the Seton Hall vicinity. When Bernard J. McQuaid left Seton Hall in 1869 to assume his duties as bishop of the Diocese of Rochester
, Corrigan succeeded him as president of that institution and also became vicar general of the Diocese of Newark
.
as bishop of Newark, becoming the second ordinary of the diocese. The diocese encompassed the entire state of New Jersey
during Corrigan's tenure. He administered diocesan affairs during a time of rapid population growth, Roman Catholic institutional development, immigration from Ireland and Germany, and considerable urbanization in the northern part of the state.
of Petra, and succeeded to the archbishopric on October 10, 1885, serving as archbishop until his death. He is interred in the crypt under the altar of St. Patrick's Cathedral
. Within the American hierarchy, he was the closest supporter of the Pope Leo XIII on Testem Benevolentiae
.
Corrigan's career in New York proved controversial on a number of levels. He aligned himself closely with his former mentor, Bernard J. McQuaid and has been considered one of the leaders of the "conservative" movement within the American Catholic hierarchy. He proved to be a strong supporter of national parish
es and parochial schools
, a vocal opponent of John Ireland
, James Gibbons and other bishops who advocated "Americanization" within the Catholic Church, and also proved unpopular with many bishops for his involvement in backstage intrigue at the Vatican.
Within the Archdiocese of New York his most serious controversy involved his conflict with Father Edward McGlynn
. During the 1886 mayoral campaign in New York City
, the outspoken McGlynn supported Henry George
, the candidate of the United Labor Party who proved popular with labor organizers, radicals, socialists, and Irish nationalists. Corrigan himself had been very close to Tammany Hall
and ordered McGlynn to refrain from politics. McGlynn refused, continued to clash with the bishop, and ultimately was removed as pastor of St. Stephen's Church in New York and excommunicated in 1887. This highly public scandal took its toll on Corrigan and contributed to his poor relationships with an influential group of New York intellectual priests. His greatest accomplishment probably involved the building of a new seminary, St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie
.
In 1897, Edgardo Mortara
preached in St. Patrick's Cathedral New York
, but the Archbishop of New York told the Holy See that he opposed Mortara's efforts to evangelise the Jews on the grounds that such efforts might embarrass the Church in the view of the United States
government. He also had invited Mother Cabrini
to New York, but had to withdraw his invitation. By then Mother Cabrini and her missionaries had already embarked on their sea voyage to New York.
Ironically, Corrigan slipped and fell when inspecting the excavation of the seminary in 1902, and this accident ultimately resulted in his death as he contracted pneumonia during his convalescence.
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...
, who served as the third archbishop of New York from 1885 to 1902.
Early life
Born in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, the fifth of nine children of Thomas and Mary English Corrigan, both of whom had emigrated from Ireland. Thomas Corrigan owned a retail grocery and liquor business in Newark, and the family's well-to-do status allowed Michael to pursue his educational interests. He attended St. Mary's College
St. Mary's College (Delaware)
St. Mary's College was a Catholic college in Delaware from 1841 until 1866.St. Mary's College was founded in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1841 by Patrick Reilly. Its enrollment peaked at 120 students in 1857. Its fortunes declined during the American Civil War and it closed in 1866.-Sources:*...
in Wilmington, Delaware, from 1853-1855, Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount St. Mary's University, also known as The Mount, is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university in the Catoctin Mountains near Emmitsburg, Maryland. It was founded by French émigré Father John DuBois in 1808 and is the oldest independent Catholic college in the United States...
in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
from 1855-1857, spent a year in Europe, and ultimately received his baccalaureate from Mount Saint Mary's in 1859. He thereafter became a member of the first class at the 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, was ordained to the priesthood in 1863, and received the doctorate of divinity in 1864.
Corrigan returned to New Jersey in 1864, where he joined the faculty at Seton Hall College and the Immaculate Conception Seminary, both located in South Orange, as professor of theology and history. He soon achieved a reputation within the hierarchy for sound scholarship, and he also provided pastoral care to Catholics in the Seton Hall vicinity. When Bernard J. McQuaid left Seton Hall in 1869 to assume his duties as bishop of the Diocese of Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
, Corrigan succeeded him as president of that institution and also became vicar general of the Diocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
.
Bishop of Newark
In 1872, Corrigan succeeded James Roosevelt BayleyJames Roosevelt Bayley
James Roosevelt Bayley was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the first Bishop of Newark and the eighth Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
as bishop of Newark, becoming the second ordinary of the diocese. The diocese encompassed the entire state of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
during Corrigan's tenure. He administered diocesan affairs during a time of rapid population growth, Roman Catholic institutional development, immigration from Ireland and Germany, and considerable urbanization in the northern part of the state.
Archbishop of New York
Corrigan was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of New York on October 1, 1880, with the titular seeTitular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of Petra, and succeeded to the archbishopric on October 10, 1885, serving as archbishop until his death. He is interred in the crypt under the altar of St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
The Cathedral of St. Patrick is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States...
. Within the American hierarchy, he was the closest supporter of the Pope Leo XIII on Testem Benevolentiae
Testem Benevolentiae
Testem Benevolentiae Nostrae is the name for an apostolic letter of Pope Leo XIII. The letter was addressed to "Our Beloved Son, James Gibbons, Cardinal Priest of the Title Sancta Maria, Beyond the Tiber, Archbishop of Baltimore", and was promulgated on January 22, 1899...
.
Corrigan's career in New York proved controversial on a number of levels. He aligned himself closely with his former mentor, Bernard J. McQuaid and has been considered one of the leaders of the "conservative" movement within the American Catholic hierarchy. He proved to be a strong supporter of national parish
National parish
National parishes are Catholic parishes that serve particular ethnic communities. They are distinguished from the other type of parish, the territorial parish, which serve a geographic area of a diocese. National parishes have existed in Rome for centuries to meet the spiritual needs of the...
es and parochial schools
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...
, a vocal opponent of John Ireland
John Ireland (archbishop)
John Ireland was the third bishop and first archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota . He became both a religious as well as civic leader in Saint Paul during the turn of the century...
, James Gibbons and other bishops who advocated "Americanization" within the Catholic Church, and also proved unpopular with many bishops for his involvement in backstage intrigue at the Vatican.
Within the Archdiocese of New York his most serious controversy involved his conflict with Father Edward McGlynn
Edward McGlynn
Father Edward McGlynn , American Roman Catholic priest and social reformer, was born in New York City of Irish parents, Peter and Sarah McGlynn. His parents had immigrated in 1824, and his father became a contractor, acquiring a small fortune before dying in 1847, leaving a widow and ten children...
. During the 1886 mayoral campaign in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the outspoken McGlynn supported Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
, the candidate of the United Labor Party who proved popular with labor organizers, radicals, socialists, and Irish nationalists. Corrigan himself had been very close to Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
and ordered McGlynn to refrain from politics. McGlynn refused, continued to clash with the bishop, and ultimately was removed as pastor of St. Stephen's Church in New York and excommunicated in 1887. This highly public scandal took its toll on Corrigan and contributed to his poor relationships with an influential group of New York intellectual priests. His greatest accomplishment probably involved the building of a new seminary, St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie
St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie
St. Joseph's Seminary and College, sometimes referred to as Dunwoodie, after the Yonkers, New York neighborhood it is located in, is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. Its primary mission is to form men for the priesthood in the Catholic Church...
.
In 1897, Edgardo Mortara
Edgardo Mortara
Edgardo Levi Mortara was a Roman Catholic priest who was born and raised Jewish. Fr. Mortara became the center of an international controversy when he was removed from his Jewish parents by authorities of the Papal States and raised as a Catholic...
preached in St. Patrick's Cathedral 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...
, but the Archbishop of New York told the Holy See that he opposed Mortara's efforts to evangelise the Jews on the grounds that such efforts might embarrass the Church in the view of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government. He also had invited Mother Cabrini
Mother Cabrini
Saint Francesca Xavier Cabrini, M.S.C., , also called Mother Cabrini, was the first citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:...
to New York, but had to withdraw his invitation. By then Mother Cabrini and her missionaries had already embarked on their sea voyage to New York.
Ironically, Corrigan slipped and fell when inspecting the excavation of the seminary in 1902, and this accident ultimately resulted in his death as he contracted pneumonia during his convalescence.
See also
- Archdiocese of New York#Ordinaries