William Theodore Mulloy
Encyclopedia
William Theodore Mulloy was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Covington
from 1945 until his death in 1959.
, North Dakota
, to William James and Margaret Ann (née Doyle) Mulloy. He attended St. Boniface College
in Winnipeg
, Canada
, before returning to the United States
and studying at St. Paul Seminary
and St. Thomas College
in St. Paul
, Minnesota
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop James O'Reilly
on June 7, 1916.
Returning to North Dakota, Mulloy then served as a curate
at St. Michael Church in Grand Forks
until 1920, when he became pastor
of St. Boniface Church in Wimbledon
. He was pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Cando
from (1921-1925) and of St. Alphonsus Church in Langdon
and dean
of the Langdon Deanery (1925-1933). From 1933 to 1938, he served as pastor of his home parish of St. John the Evangelist Church in Grafton
and dean of the Grafton Deanery. He became president
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1935, and rector
of St. Mary's Cathedral in 1938. He also served as superintendent
of Catholic school
s in the Diocese of Fargo
and editor
of the diocesan newspaper
. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate
in 1941.
On November 18, 1944, Mulloy was appointed the sixth Bishop of Covington
, Kentucky
, by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on January 10, 1945 from Bishop Aloisius Joseph Muench
, with Bishops Vincent James Ryan
and Peter William Bartholome
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Mary's Cathedral. In addition to rural issues, Mulloy was also dedicated to civil rights. Speaking to the Catholic Committee of the South in 1951, he declared that "racial justice
is a moral question" and that Catholic leaders in the Southern United States
"cannot remain silent," even at the expense of being labeled with "the opprobrious accusation of being 'anti-Southern.'"
After fifteen years as bishop, Mulloy died in Covington
at age 66. He is buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell
.
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 Covington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Kentucky, covering that includes the city of Covington and the following Kentucky counties: Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Carroll, Grant, Owen, Pendleton, Harrison, Bracken, Robertson, Mason, Fleming, and Lewis. ...
from 1945 until his death in 1959.
Biography
The oldest of five children, William Mulloy was born in ArdochArdoch, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 61 people, 18 households, and 12 families residing in the city. The population density was 235.0 people per square mile . There were 41 housing units at an average density of 157.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 60.66% White, 24.59% from...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, to William James and Margaret Ann (née Doyle) Mulloy. He attended St. Boniface College
Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
The Université de Saint-Boniface, or USB, is a university college affiliated with the University of Manitoba and located in the Saint Boniface district of Winnipeg, Manitoba , Canada....
in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, before returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and studying at 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,...
and St. Thomas College
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...
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...
, 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...
. 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 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...
on June 7, 1916.
Returning to North Dakota, Mulloy then served 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. Michael Church in Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
until 1920, when he became 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. Boniface Church in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 237 people, 111 households, and 68 families residing in the city. The population density was 512.3 people per square mile . There were 126 housing units at an average density of 272.4 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.89% White, 0.42%...
. He was pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Cando
Cando, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,342 people, 595 households, and 345 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,178.3 people per square mile . There were 707 housing units at an average density of 1,147.6 per square mile...
from (1921-1925) and of St. Alphonsus Church in Langdon
Langdon, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,101 people, 917 households, and 565 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,233.1 people per square mile . There were 1,178 housing units at an average density of 691.4 per square mile...
and dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Langdon Deanery (1925-1933). From 1933 to 1938, he served as pastor of his home parish of St. John the Evangelist Church in Grafton
Grafton, North Dakota
-Education:The city of Grafton is served by the Grafton Public Schools system. The system includes Century Elementary School , Central Middle School , and Grafton High School .-Library:...
and dean of the Grafton Deanery. He became president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1935, and rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Mary's Cathedral in 1938. He also served as superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Catholic 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...
s in the Diocese of Fargo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on April 6, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Fargo, North Dakota is the episcopal see of the diocese.-Bishops of the Diocese of Fargo:...
and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the diocesan newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. He was raised to the rank of 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 1941.
On November 18, 1944, Mulloy was appointed the sixth Bishop of Covington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Kentucky, covering that includes the city of Covington and the following Kentucky counties: Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Carroll, Grant, Owen, Pendleton, Harrison, Bracken, Robertson, Mason, Fleming, and Lewis. ...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. 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 January 10, 1945 from Bishop Aloisius Joseph Muench
Aloisius Joseph Muench
Aloisius Joseph Muench was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fargo from 1935 to 1959, and as Apostolic Nuncio to Germany from 1951 to 1959...
, with Bishops Vincent James Ryan
Vincent James Ryan
Vincent James Ryan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Bismarck from 1940 until his death in 1951.-Biography:...
and Peter William Bartholome
Peter William Bartholome
Peter William Bartholome was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Saint Cloud from 1953 to 1968.-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 St. Mary's Cathedral. In addition to rural issues, Mulloy was also dedicated to civil rights. Speaking to the Catholic Committee of the South in 1951, he declared that "racial justice
Racial equality
Racial equality means different things in different contexts. It mostly deals with an equal regard to all races.It can refer to a belief in biological equality of all human races....
is a moral question" and that Catholic leaders in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
"cannot remain silent," even at the expense of being labeled with "the opprobrious accusation of being 'anti-Southern.'"
After fifteen years as bishop, Mulloy died in Covington
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
at age 66. He is buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell
Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,207 people, 3,530 households, and 2,033 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,581.8 people per square mile . There were 3,744 housing units at an average density of 1,195.0 per square mile...
.