William G. Connare
Encyclopedia
William Graham Connare was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Greensburg
from 1960 to 1987.
, one of three children of James J. and Nellie T. (O'Connor) Connare. His parents were Irish
immigrants who came to the United States
from County Galway
and County Kerry
, respectively. His father worked as an engineer
for an East End biscuit firm. In 1917, he enrolled at the newly-opened St. Lawrence School. After graduating from Duquesne University Preparatory School, he studied at Duquesne University
in Pittsburgh. He graduated from Duquesne in 1932, and then attended St. Vincent College
in Latrobe
, where he earned a Master's degree
in 1934. He began his studies for the priesthood
at St. Vincent Seminary
.
a priest by Bishop Hugh C. Boyle
on June 14, 1936. His first assignment was as a curate
at St. Canice Church in Knoxville
. He was transferred to the Cathedral of St. Paul
in Oakland
in 1937, where he remained for twelve years. In 1949, he was appointed administrator of St. Richard Church, an African American
parish in the Hill District. He became both pastor
of St. Richard's and a domestic prelate
in 1955.
At St. Richard's, Connare helped organize the Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh in 1953. He was also a member of the Urban League
of Pittsburgh and the board of the Pittsburgh branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP). In addition to his pastoral duties, he served as diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith
and as vicar
for religious
.
by Pope John XXIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 4 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi
, with Archbishop John F. Dearden and Bishop Richard H. Ackerman
serving as co-consecrators
, at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. He founded the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Accent, in 1961 and presided over the first diocesan synod that same year. He also expanded educational programs in parishes and opened the diocesan office of Catholic Charities
.
Between 1962 and 1965, Connare attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
in Rome
. He addressed the Council on behalf of the American bishops on the subject of the Divine Office
and breviary
. Shortly before the close of the Council, he reorganized the diocesan liturgical commission and established committees to facilitate such reforms as the change of the language of Mass
from Latin
to English
. His self-proclaimed greatest accomplishment was the renovation of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, which was completed in 1972, so that it could accommodate the new liturgical reforms.
In 1980, Connare attended the funeral of Archbishop Óscar Romero
in San Salvador
, where 40 people were killed during a violent outbreak at the Mass. He also served as Episcopal Moderators of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting from 1961 to 1970 and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award
by the Boy Scouts of America
in 1971.
of the diocese until the installation of his successor, Bishop Anthony G. Bosco
, on June 30 of that year.
He later died at Westmoreland Regional Hospital as a result of complications from anemia
, aged 83.
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 Greensburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
The Diocese of Greensburg is a Roman Catholic diocese centered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania that has 85 parishes in Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana, and Westmoreland counties in Western Pennsylvania. The diocese was founded on March 10, 1951, and is currently in the process of reorganization...
from 1960 to 1987.
Early life and education
Connare was born in the East End of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
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...
, one of three children of James J. and Nellie T. (O'Connor) Connare. His parents were Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants who came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
and County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, respectively. His father worked as an engineer
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
for an East End biscuit firm. In 1917, he enrolled at the newly-opened St. Lawrence School. After graduating from Duquesne University Preparatory School, he studied at Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in Pittsburgh. He graduated from Duquesne in 1932, and then attended St. Vincent 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...
in 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...
, where he earned a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1934. He began 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....
at St. Vincent Seminary
Saint Vincent Seminary
Saint Vincent Seminary is the fourth oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, forty miles southeast of Pittsburgh....
.
Priesthood
Connare was ordainedHoly 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....
a priest by Bishop Hugh C. Boyle
Hugh Charles Boyle
Hugh Charles Boyle was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1921 until his death in 1950.-Biography:...
on June 14, 1936. His first assignment was 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. Canice Church in Knoxville
Knoxville (Pittsburgh)
Knoxville is a south neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It has a zip code of 15210, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 3 .-History:...
. He was transferred to the Cathedral of St. Paul
Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
in Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
in 1937, where he remained for twelve years. In 1949, he was appointed administrator of St. Richard Church, an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
parish in the Hill District. He became both 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. Richard's and 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 1955.
At St. Richard's, Connare helped organize the Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh in 1953. He was also a member of the Urban League
National Urban League
The National Urban League , formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest...
of Pittsburgh and the board of the Pittsburgh branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
(NAACP). In addition to his pastoral duties, he served as diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith
Society for the Propagation of the Faith
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith is an international association for the assistance by prayers and alms of Catholic missionary priests, brothers, and nuns engaged in preaching the Gospel in non-Catholic countries...
and as vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for religious
Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the term "consecrated life" denotes a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way recognized by the Church...
.
Episcopacy
On February 23, 1960, Connare was appointed the second Bishop of GreensburgRoman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
The Diocese of Greensburg is a Roman Catholic diocese centered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania that has 85 parishes in Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana, and Westmoreland counties in Western Pennsylvania. The diocese was founded on March 10, 1951, and is currently in the process of reorganization...
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 4 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi
Egidio Vagnozzi
Edigio Vagnozzi was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as the second president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1968 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.-Biography:Egidio Vagnozzi was born in Rome to Francesco and Pasqua ...
, with Archbishop John F. Dearden and Bishop Richard H. Ackerman
Richard Henry Ackerman
Richard Henry Ackerman, C.S.Sp. was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. A member of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he served as Bishop of Covington from 1960 to 1978.-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 Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. He founded the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Accent, in 1961 and presided over the first diocesan synod that same year. He also expanded educational programs in parishes and opened the diocesan office of Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
.
Between 1962 and 1965, Connare attended all four 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...
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...
. He addressed the Council on behalf of the American bishops on the subject of the Divine Office
Liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
and breviary
Breviary
A breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
. Shortly before the close of the Council, he reorganized the diocesan liturgical commission and established committees to facilitate such reforms as the change of the language of Mass
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...
from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. His self-proclaimed greatest accomplishment was the renovation of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, which was completed in 1972, so that it could accommodate the new liturgical reforms.
In 1980, Connare attended the funeral of Archbishop Óscar Romero
Óscar Romero
Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez was a bishop of the Catholic Church in El Salvador. He became the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador, succeeding Luis Chávez. He was assassinated on 24 March 1980....
in San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, where 40 people were killed during a violent outbreak at the Mass. He also served as Episcopal Moderators of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting from 1961 to 1970 and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program...
by the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
in 1971.
Later life and death
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Connare resigned as Bishop of Greensburg January 20, 1987. He served as apostolic administratorApostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the diocese until the installation of his successor, Bishop Anthony G. Bosco
Anthony G. Bosco
Anthony Gerard Bosco is a prelate of the Catholic Church, currently the Bishop Emeritus of Greensburg. He was the third bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg from 1987 to 2004....
, on June 30 of that year.
He later died at Westmoreland Regional Hospital as a result of complications from anemia
Anemia
Anemia is a decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin...
, aged 83.