Thomas Joseph Connolly
Encyclopedia
Thomas Joseph Connolly is an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Baker
in Oregon
from 1971 to 1999.
, Nevada
, to John and Katherine (née Hammel) Connolly. He completed his studies for the priesthood
in California
, first at St. Joseph Preparatory Seminary in Mountain View
and then at St. Patrick Seminary
in Menlo Park
. He was ordained
for the Diocese of Reno
by Bishop Thomas Kiely Gorman
on April 8, 1947. His first assignments were as a curate
at the Cathedral of St. Thomas and at Little Flower Church, while teaching at Bishop Manogue High School
and serving as chaplain
to the Serra Club.
He was private secretary
to Bishop Thomas Gorman from 1948 until 1949, when he was sent to study canon law
at the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law
in 1951, and a doctorate
from the Pontifical Lateran University
in Rome
the following year. Following his return to the Diocese of Reno, Connolly became an assistant rector
at the Cathedral of St. Thomas. After serving at St. Joseph Church in Elko
and Albert the Great Church in Reno
, he was pastor
of St. Teresa of Avila Church in Carson City
from 1968 to 1971.
On May 4, 1971, Connolly was appointed the Bishop of Baker
, Oregon
, by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following June 30 from Archbishop Robert Joseph Dwyer
, with Bishops Thomas Gorman and Michael Joseph Green
serving as co-consecrators
. In accord with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council
, Connolly established a priests' council, an annual presbyteral assembly, a sisters' council, and a diocesan pastoral council with lay participation. He oversaw a large-scale renovation of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales
in the early 1980s. He also scheduled regular Masses
in Spanish
, established a program to assist undocumented immigrants
to apply for citizenship
, and ordained the first class of permanent deacon
s for the diocese.
Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Connolly submitted his letter of resignation to Pope John Paul II
in July 1997. His resignation was not accepted until November 19, 1999, and Reverend Robert F. Vasa
of the Diocese of Lincoln
was named as his successor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman 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 Baker
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker
The Diocese of Baker is a territorial division, or diocese, of the Roman Catholic Church in Eastern Oregon, United States...
in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
from 1971 to 1999.
Biography
Thomas Connolly was born in TonopahTonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, to John and Katherine (née Hammel) Connolly. He completed his studies for 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 California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, first at St. Joseph Preparatory Seminary in Mountain View
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
and then at St. Patrick Seminary
Saint Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park
Saint Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California is a Roman Catholic post-graduate seminary whose primary mission is the formation of clergy for Western and Pacific Rim dioceses, orders, religious congregations and secular institutes...
in Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood 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....
for the Diocese of Reno
Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno is an ecclesiastical territory of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern Nevada region of the United States, centered on the city of Reno. With the urging of Cardinal George Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago, Pope Pius XI established the Diocese on March 27, 1931...
by 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:...
on April 8, 1947. His first assignments were 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 the Cathedral of St. Thomas and at Little Flower Church, while teaching at Bishop Manogue High School
Bishop Manogue High School
Bishop Manogue High School is a Catholic high school in Reno, Nevada. It is the only Catholic high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno and 1 of only 2 Catholic high schools in the state of Nevada.-History:...
and serving as chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the Serra Club.
He was private secretary
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Bishop Thomas Gorman from 1948 until 1949, when he was sent to study canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He earned 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...
in 1951, and a doctorate
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
from the Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
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...
the following year. Following his return to the Diocese of Reno, Connolly became an assistant rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
at the Cathedral of St. Thomas. After serving at St. Joseph Church in Elko
Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....
and Albert the Great Church in Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, he was 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. Teresa of Avila Church in Carson City
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
from 1968 to 1971.
On May 4, 1971, Connolly was appointed the Bishop of Baker
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker
The Diocese of Baker is a territorial division, or diocese, of the Roman Catholic Church in Eastern Oregon, United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. 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 June 30 from Archbishop Robert Joseph Dwyer
Robert Joseph Dwyer
Robert Joseph Dwyer was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Portland from 1966 to 1974, having previously served as Bishop of Reno .-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Thomas Gorman and Michael Joseph Green
Michael Joseph Green
Michael Joseph Green was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Reno in the state of Nevada from 1967-1974.-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...
. In accord with the reforms 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...
, Connolly established a priests' council, an annual presbyteral assembly, a sisters' council, and a diocesan pastoral council with lay participation. He oversaw a large-scale renovation of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales
Cathedral of Saint Francis de Sales
The Cathedral of Saint Francis de Sales is the Cathedral Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker, located in Baker City, Oregon, United States. Constructed in 1906–08 of local volcanic tuff, the cathedral was renovated on several occasions, most recently in mid-2007...
in the early 1980s. He also scheduled regular Masses
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, established a program to assist undocumented immigrants
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
to apply for citizenship
United States nationality law
Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...
, and ordained the first class of permanent deacon
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...
s for the diocese.
Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Connolly submitted his letter of resignation to Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in July 1997. His resignation was not accepted until November 19, 1999, and Reverend Robert F. Vasa
Robert F. Vasa
Robert Francis Vasa is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. On Monday, January 24, 2011, Bishop Vasa, 59, was named the Coadjutor Bishop , to Bishop Daniel F. Walsh of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California, by the Holy Father, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI...
of the Diocese of Lincoln
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln is a Roman Catholic diocese in Nebraska, and comprises the majority of the eastern and central portions of the state south of the Platte River. The episcopal see is in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was established on August 2, 1887, by Pope Leo XIII...
was named as his successor.