William Gordon(bishop of Leeds)
Encyclopedia
William Gordon was an English
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the second Bishop of Leeds
.
in North Yorkshire
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop of Beverley John Briggs in 1856 at an age of 22.
He then served as assistant priest
in the Diocese of Leeds. On December 28, 1889, Gordon was appointed as coadjutor Bishop
of Leeds and titular Bishop
of Arcadiopolis in Asia. He received his episcopal consecration
on February 24, 1890, from Bishop of Liverpool
Bernard O'Reilly
, with Bishop of Middlesbrough
Richard Lacy
and Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Thomas William Wilkinson serving as co-consecrators
.
On June 16, 1890, Gordon was appointed to be the 2nd Bishop of Leeds
, where he succeeded Robert Cornthwaite
who had died in office.
He served as a bishop for more than 20 years and died on June 7, 1911. Bishop Gordon is buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Leeds
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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. He was the second Bishop of Leeds
Bishop of Leeds
The Bishop of Leeds is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds in the Province of Liverpool, England.The Vicariate Apostolic of the Yorkshire District was elevated to diocese status as the Diocese of Beverley on 29 September 1850, which was suppressed on 20 December 1878 and its area...
.
Life and ministry
William Gordon was born in village ThirskThirsk
Thirsk is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and to Durham Tees Valley Airport...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. 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 of Beverley John Briggs in 1856 at an age of 22.
He then served as assistant priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in the Diocese of Leeds. On December 28, 1889, Gordon was appointed as coadjutor Bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Leeds and titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Arcadiopolis in Asia. He received his 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 February 24, 1890, from Bishop of Liverpool
Archbishop of Liverpool
The Archbishop of Liverpool heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
Bernard O'Reilly
Bernard O'Reilly (bishop of Liverpool)
Bernard O’Reilly was an Irish-born prelate who served as the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Liverpool from 1873 until his death in 1894.-Early life and ministry:...
, with Bishop of Middlesbrough
Bishop of Middlesbrough
The Bishop of Middlesbrough is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough in the Province of Liverpool, England.The diocese covers an area of of the counties of the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire together with the City of York...
Richard Lacy
Richard Lacy
Richard Lacy was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first Bishop of Middlesbrough from 1879 to 1929....
and Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
The Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
Thomas William Wilkinson 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...
.
On June 16, 1890, Gordon was appointed to be the 2nd Bishop of Leeds
Bishop of Leeds
The Bishop of Leeds is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds in the Province of Liverpool, England.The Vicariate Apostolic of the Yorkshire District was elevated to diocese status as the Diocese of Beverley on 29 September 1850, which was suppressed on 20 December 1878 and its area...
, where he succeeded Robert Cornthwaite
Robert Cornthwaite (bishop)
Robert Cornthwaite was an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was last Bishop of Beverley and the first Bishop of Leeds.-Early life and ministry:...
who had died in office.
He served as a bishop for more than 20 years and died on June 7, 1911. Bishop Gordon is buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.