Until the
revolution, Catholics in the colonies were under
the jurisdiction of the Vicar Apostolic of
London. But with the advent of the American
Independence and the favorable climate towards
Catholics, Pope Pius VI had decided to create
the Diocese of Baltimore with John Caroll as the
First Bishop in the New World. This was November
6, 1789. Three years before, i 1786, a small
group of Catholics in New York City erected the
first Catholic Church in the State, St. Peter's
on Barclay Street. In 1798, St, Mary in Albany
was built. From these two Churches the Diocese
of New York was created by Pope Pius VII on
April 8th, 1808. Bishop R. Luke Concannen, O.P.,
became the First Bishop of New York. He was
never to head the Church in New York. He died in
Naples in 1810. Rev. Anthony Kohjman, S.J., was
the administrator from1808 to 1814 when Bishop
John Connoly, O.P., was appointed to succeed
Bishop Concannen. Bishop Connoly established
nine parishes in this New Diocese and introduced
Mother Seton's Sisters to the New York School
System.
Upon the death of Bishop Connolly in 1825,
Bishop John DuBois became the Third Bishop of
the New York Diocese. During his sixteen years,
the turmoil of the Anti-Catholicism was sweeping
the State. He lead the young Diocese through
these years. It was Bishop DuBois who expanded
the Diocese North of New York City by founding
parishes. One of the Parishes founded was St.
Peter's, Poughkeepsie, thus beginning the formal
Catholic Church in the Dutchess County. Bishop
DuBois died December, 1842.
Bishop DuBois was immediately succeeded by
Bishop John Hughes, the Fourth Bishop of New
York. The Diocese was growing in numbers due to
the arrival of immigrants fro Ireland and
Germany between 1840 and 1850. The growth was
such that New York was elevated to an
Archbishopric in 1850. bishop Hughes became the
First Archbishop of New York. During the Civil
War, at the request of President Lincoln, he
went to Europe to secure support for the Union
cause. He was known as "The Father of Parochial
Schools" and began to build the New St.
Patrick's Cathedral so far removed from the
"center of the City" that the Cathedral was so
become known as "Hughes" Folly.
Bishop John McCloskey, a native of New York City
and First Bishop of Albany, returned to New York
as its Second Archbishop in 1864 upon the death
of Archbishop Hughes. He established 90 new
Parishes, 58 of which were up-state. He became
the first American to be created a Cardinal in
1875. He died in 1885.
Archbishop Michael Corrigan succeeded Cardinal
McCloskey in 1885 as New York's Third
Archbishop. He lived to see his proudest of all
his achievements: the New York St. Joseph's
Seminary in Dunwoodie, Yonkers completed before
he died in 1902.
John Cardinal Farley was the Fourth Archbishop
of New York from 1902 to 1919. He was a great
advocate of Catholic Education: he doubled the
Parish School; erected Colleges.
Patrick Cardinal Hayes, an Auxiliary Bishop to
Cardinal Farley, was appointed to succeed him as
the Fifth Archbishop of New York. It was
Cardinal Hayes who lead the Church in New York
through the Great Depression years with his
charitable organizations that became known as
"The Cardinal of Catholic Charities."
In 1939, upon the death of Cardinal Hayes,
Francis Cardinal Spellman, Auxiliary Bishop of
Boston, was appointed the Sixth Archbishop of
New York. He immediately made sweeping reforms
in administrational, educational, charitable and
social welfare areas of the Archdiocese. He lead
the Archdiocese and the American Church during
the Second World War. He showed love and care
for the men and women serving in the Armed
Forces. He died on December 2, 1967.
On March 8, 1968, Pope Paul VI appointed Terence
Cardinal Cooke to become the Seventh Archbishop
of New York and lead the Church in New York in
these of the Renewal begun by the Second Vatican
Council. Cardinal Cooke looks to us, his
Parishioners here in Dutchess County, to carry
the torch passed on s by those who went before
us in the years of glorious history of the Great
Archdiocese of New York.
The Eight Archbishop of New York, John Cardinal
O'Connor, succeeded Cardinal Cooke. His
Eminence, Edward Cardinal Egan is presently the
Archbishop of New York.
The Most Reverend
Timothy Michael Dolan's installation ceremony
was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC on
April 15th, 2010 and is the current Archbishop of New
York. |
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