Alfred Allen Paul Curtis
Encyclopedia
Alfred Allen Paul Curtis (July 4, 1831—July 11, 1908) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Wilmington
(1886–1896) and Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore
(1897–1908).
in Somerset County
, Maryland
, to Episcopalian
parents. He attended the country school his father had founded, but taught himself Latin
, Greek
, and Shakespeare
. Following his father's death in 1849, he became an assistant teacher at an academy in Princess Anne
to support his mother and siblings. He began studying for the ministry
in 1855, and was ordained
a deacon
in 1856 and afterwards a priest
in 1859. He then worked as an assistant at St. Luke's Church
in Baltimore, from where he was transferred to Frederick County
and then to Chestertown
, Kent County
.
In 1862 he was elected rector
of Mount Calvary Church in Baltimore. He gradually became more Catholic
in his beliefs and practices, to the dismay of Bishop William Rollinson Whittingham
. He eventually resigned as rector in 1871 and then went to England, where he was received into the Catholic Church by Dr. John Henry Newman on May 18, 1872. Curtis returned to Baltimore later that year, entering St. Mary's Seminary
. He was ordained a Catholic priest
by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley
on December 19, 1874. He then served as Archbishop Bayley's private secretary
and an assistant at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
. (Please review where he served; Cathedral of Mary Our Queen didn't exist until the 1950s.)
On August 3, 1886, Curits was appointed the second Bishop of Wilmington
, Delaware
, by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following November 14 from Cardinal James Gibbons, with Bishops John Moore
and John Joseph Kain
serving as co-consecrators
, in Baltimore. He was installed at St. Peter's Cathedral
in Wilmington on November 21, 1886. During his tenure, he introduced the Josephite Fathers
into the diocese to minister to African American
Catholics, for whom he also built St. Joseph Church, an orphanage
, and a parochial school
. He also erected a cloister
ed convent
for the Sisters of the Visitation.
After ten years as bishop, Curtis resigned due to poor health on May 23, 1896; he was appointed Titular Bishop
of Echinus on the same date. He left the diocese with 25,000 Catholics, thirty priests, twenty-two churches and eighteen missions, twelve seminarians, eight religious communities, three academies, nine parochial schools, and three orphanages. He became an auxiliary bishop
of Baltimore in 1897, and assisted Cardinal Gibbons with performing ordination
s and confirmations
. He later died from cancer
at St. Agnes Hospital
, aged 77. At his own request, his remains were buried at Visitation Monastery in Wilmington.
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 Wilmington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
-External links:**...
(1886–1896) and Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
(1897–1908).
Biography
Alfred Curtis was born near RehobethRehobeth, Maryland
Rehobeth is an unincorporated community in Somerset County, Maryland, United States. It is located at the east end of Old Rehobeth Road, off Rehobeth Road, on the bank of the Pocomoke River.-References:...
in Somerset County
Somerset County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*53.5% White*42.3% Black*0.3% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*1.5% Other races*3.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, to Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
parents. He attended the country school his father had founded, but taught himself 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...
, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, and Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. Following his father's death in 1849, he became an assistant teacher at an academy in Princess Anne
Princess Anne, Maryland
Princess Anne is a town in Somerset County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,313 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Somerset County.Princess Anne is included in the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area....
to support his mother and siblings. He began studying for the ministry
Anglican ministry
The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. "Ministry" commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the threefold order of bishops, priests and deacons. More accurately, Anglican ministry includes many laypeople who devote themselves...
in 1855, and 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....
a 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...
in 1856 and afterwards a 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 1859. He then worked as an assistant at St. Luke's Church
St. Luke's Church (Baltimore, Maryland)
St. Luke's Church, is a historic Episcopal church located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is a Gothic Revival style church that follows the dictates of the Ecclesiological Society reflecting English medieval building principles. It is composed of a tall nave, flanked by side aisles below...
in Baltimore, from where he was transferred to Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
and then to Chestertown
Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...
, Kent County
Kent County, Maryland
Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. It was named for the county of Kent in England. Its county seat is Chestertown. In 2010, the county population was 20,197...
.
In 1862 he was elected 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 Mount Calvary Church in Baltimore. He gradually became more Catholic
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...
in his beliefs and practices, to the dismay of Bishop William Rollinson Whittingham
William Rollinson Whittingham
William Rollinson Whittingham was the fourth Episcopal Bishop of Maryland.-Early life and career:Whittingham was born in New York City, the son of Richard Whittingham and Mary Ann Rollinson Whittingham. He was educated at home, and later attended the General Theological Seminary, graduating in 1825...
. He eventually resigned as rector in 1871 and then went to England, where he was received into the Catholic Church by Dr. John Henry Newman on May 18, 1872. Curtis returned to Baltimore later that year, entering St. Mary's Seminary
St. Mary's Seminary and University
St. Mary's Seminary and University is a Roman Catholic seminary in Baltimore, Maryland; it was the first seminary founded in the United States of America.-History:...
. He was ordained a Catholic priest
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 Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley
James Roosevelt Bayley
James Roosevelt Bayley was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the first Bishop of Newark and the eighth Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
on December 19, 1874. He then served as Archbishop Bayley's 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....
and an assistant at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located at 5200 North Charles Street, in northern Baltimore, Maryland....
. (Please review where he served; Cathedral of Mary Our Queen didn't exist until the 1950s.)
On August 3, 1886, Curits was appointed the second Bishop of Wilmington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
-External links:**...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. 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 November 14 from Cardinal James Gibbons, with Bishops John Moore
John Moore (bishop of St Augustine)
Bishop John Moore , was born in County Westmeath, Ireland and moved to Charleston, South Carolina at the age of 14. He served as Bishop of St. Augustine from 1877-1901...
and John Joseph Kain
John Joseph Kain
John Joseph Kain was a Roman Catholic priest who would eventually become Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis, and the first native-born American to hold that office.-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 Baltimore. He was installed at St. Peter's Cathedral
St. Peter's Cathedral
-Canada:*St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London, Ontario*St. Peter's Cathedral , Prince Edward Island-Germany:* Bremen Cathedral, dedicated to St. Peter* Regensburg Cathedral, Bavaria, dedicated to St. Peter* Cathedral of St...
in Wilmington on November 21, 1886. During his tenure, he introduced the Josephite Fathers
Josephite Fathers
The Josephite Fathers and Brothers or, more properly, Saint Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart, Inc. are a society of Catholic priests and brothers, based in the United States. It was formed in 1871 by a group of priests from the English Foreign Mission Society of Saint Joseph, also known as...
into the diocese to minister to 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...
Catholics, for whom he also built St. Joseph Church, an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, and a parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
. He also erected a cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
ed convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
for the Sisters of the Visitation.
After ten years as bishop, Curtis resigned due to poor health on May 23, 1896; he was appointed 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 Echinus on the same date. He left the diocese with 25,000 Catholics, thirty priests, twenty-two churches and eighteen missions, twelve seminarians, eight religious communities, three academies, nine parochial schools, and three orphanages. He became an auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Baltimore in 1897, and assisted Cardinal Gibbons with performing ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
s and confirmations
Confirmation (Catholic Church)
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing. According to Catholic doctrine, in this sacrament they receive the Holy Spirit and become adult members of the Catholic Church....
. He later died from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at St. Agnes Hospital
St. Agnes Hospital (Baltimore)
St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland is a full service teaching hospital located at 900 S. Caton Avenue.It is licensed and accredited with a Gold Seal of Approval from the JCAHO, is designated as an American Society for Bariatric Surgery Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence and is a Level...
, aged 77. At his own request, his remains were buried at Visitation Monastery in Wilmington.