Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern
Encyclopedia
Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern (October 14, 1872—November 8, 1951) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Cheyenne
from 1912 until his death.
, Nebraska
, and later became an orphan
. After studying under the Sisters of Mercy
, he graduated from Creighton University
in 1891 and then entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary
in Cincinnati
, Ohio
.
He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop Richard Scannel on August 18, 1895, and did pastoral
work in Jackson
and Kearney
. McGovern was pastor
of St. Philomena's
Cathedral
from 1898 to 1907, during which time he also abolished tuition fees for the parochial school
. After the cathedral's demolition, he was named to St. Peter's Church in November 1907.
On January 19, 1912, McGovern was appointed the fourth Bishop of Cheyenne
, Wyoming
, by Pope Pius X
. He received episcopal consecration
on the following April 11 from Archbishop James Keane
, with Bishops Scannel and Philip Garrigan
serving as co-consecrators
. McGovern was given an honorary
doctorate of laws from Creighton University in 1928, established http://www.stjoseph-wy.org/St. Joseph's Orphanage September 1, 1930. In 1971 it ceased being an orphanage and became a Children's home for troubled youth age 6 to 18. Bishop McGoven was made an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
in 1937.
A man of frail health, he spent four months of his first year as Bishop at a hospital
, where he received surgical
treatment for a stomach
ailment, and later suffered a nervous breakdown
in 1940, requiring ten weeks' hospitalization. His self-confessed greatest accomplishment during his tenure was increasing the number of clergy servicing the Diocese of Cheyenne
; at the time of his arrival, there were only fourteen priests.
McGovern died at age 79, having served as Bishop for thirty-nine years.
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 Cheyenne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne is a Roman Catholic diocese covering the state of Wyoming. It was founded on August 2, 1887 by Pope Leo XIII...
from 1912 until his death.
Biography
Patrick McGovern was born in OmahaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, and later became an orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
. After studying under the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
, he graduated from Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
in 1891 and then entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary
Athenaeum of Ohio
The Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, originally St. Francis Xavier Seminary, is the third-oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is currently located at 6616 Beechmont Avenue in the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood of Mt. Washington, in the former Saint...
in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
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....
by Bishop Richard Scannel on August 18, 1895, and did pastoral
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...
work in Jackson
Jackson, Nebraska
Jackson is a village in Dakota County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Kearney
Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney is a city in and the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 30,787 at the 2010 census. It is home to the University of Nebraska-Kearney....
. McGovern was pastor
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...
of St. Philomena's
St. Philomena's Church
St. Philomena's Church or St. Philomena Catholic Church may refer to:in India* St. Philomena's Church, Mysore, Indiain the United States* Saint Philomena Catholic Church in Honolulu, Hawaii* St. Philomena Catholic Church - Kalawao, HI...
Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
from 1898 to 1907, during which time he also abolished tuition fees for the parochial 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...
. After the cathedral's demolition, he was named to St. Peter's Church in November 1907.
On January 19, 1912, McGovern was appointed the fourth Bishop of Cheyenne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne is a Roman Catholic diocese covering the state of Wyoming. It was founded on August 2, 1887 by Pope Leo XIII...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, by Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
. He received episcopal consecration
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....
on the following April 11 from Archbishop James Keane
James Keane
James Keane may refer to:*James Keane , American actor*James Keane , Catholic prelate*James Keane , Australian ice hockey player*James Keane , Irish accordionist...
, with Bishops Scannel and Philip Garrigan
Philip Joseph Garrigan
Philip Joseph Garrigan was a Roman Catholic clergyman.Garrigan was born in Whitegate, Ireland in 1840, he came to the United States with his parents, and received his elementary education in the public schools of Lowell, Massachusetts. He pursued his classical course at St...
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...
. McGovern was given an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
doctorate of laws from Creighton University in 1928, established http://www.stjoseph-wy.org/St. Joseph's Orphanage September 1, 1930. In 1971 it ceased being an orphanage and became a Children's home for troubled youth age 6 to 18. Bishop McGoven was made an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne is an ecclesiastical title in the Roman Catholic Church. It signifies a prelate belonging to the papal chapel, who stands near the throne of the Pope at solemn functions....
in 1937.
A man of frail health, he spent four months of his first year as Bishop at a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, where he received surgical
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
treatment for a stomach
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
ailment, and later suffered a nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
in 1940, requiring ten weeks' hospitalization. His self-confessed greatest accomplishment during his tenure was increasing the number of clergy servicing the Diocese of Cheyenne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne is a Roman Catholic diocese covering the state of Wyoming. It was founded on August 2, 1887 by Pope Leo XIII...
; at the time of his arrival, there were only fourteen priests.
McGovern died at age 79, having served as Bishop for thirty-nine years.