Thomas Anthony Welch
Encyclopedia
Thomas Anthony Welch was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Duluth
from 1926 until his death in 1959.
, Minnesota
, to Thomas J. and Ellen (née Deasy) Welch. He studied at College of St. Thomas
and St. Paul Seminary
, both in St. Paul
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on June 11, 1909.
Welch served as secretary to Archbishop John Ireland
(1909-18) and to his successor, Archbishop Austin Dowling
(1919-22). He also served as chancellor
(1918-1923) and vicar general
of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
. He became a domestic prelate
in February 1924.
On December 17, 1925, Welch was appointed the third Bishop of Duluth
by Pope Pius XI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on February 3, 1926 from Archbishop Dowling, with Bishops James O'Reilly
and Joseph Francis Busch
serving as co-consecrators
. During his 33-year tenure, he remedied the financial crisis in the diocese and also constructed the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Welch died at age 74.
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 Duluth
Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. The episcopal see is in Duluth, Minnesota. It was established on October 3, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese includes Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St...
from 1926 until his death in 1959.
Biography
Thomas Welch was born in FaribaultFaribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, to Thomas J. and Ellen (née Deasy) Welch. He studied at College of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
and St. Paul Seminary
Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was founded by Archbishop John Ireland in 1894, to provide ordained priests for the ever-increasing Catholic population of the Upper Midwest. The seminary now sits on the south campus of the University of St. Thomas,...
, both in St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. 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, 1909.
Welch served as secretary to Archbishop 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...
(1909-18) and to his successor, Archbishop Austin Dowling
Austin Dowling
Austin Dowling was the second Archbishop and fourth bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. He was appointed on January 31, 1919 and held the office to his death...
(1919-22). He also served as 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....
(1918-1923) and vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by the prelature of an archbishop which administers the archdiocese from the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis...
. He became a domestic prelate
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 February 1924.
On December 17, 1925, Welch was appointed the third Bishop of Duluth
Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. The episcopal see is in Duluth, Minnesota. It was established on October 3, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese includes Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. 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 February 3, 1926 from Archbishop Dowling, with Bishops James O'Reilly
James O'Reilly (bishop)
James O'Reilly was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Fargo .O'Reilly was born in Ireland and educated at All Hallows College in Dublin, where he was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 1882. After coming to the United States, he was attached to the Diocese of St...
and Joseph Francis Busch
Joseph Francis Busch
Joseph Francis Busch was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Lead and Bishop of Saint Cloud .-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...
. During his 33-year tenure, he remedied the financial crisis in the diocese and also constructed the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Welch died at age 74.