Christopher Joseph Weldon
Encyclopedia
Christopher Joseph Weldon (September 6, 1905—March 19, 1982) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts
from 1950 to 1977.
section of New York City
to Patrick and Mary (née Dwyer) Weldon. After graduating from P.S. 9
in 1918, he then studied at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
in Quebec
, Canada
until 1924, when he returned to the United States
and entered St. Joseph's Seminary
in Yonkers
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on September 21, 1929, at St. Patrick's Cathedral
.
Weldon completed his graduate studies
at the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
He served as a curate
at St. John the Evangelist Church in White Plains
and at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mount Kisco
. From 1931 to 1935, Weldon was spiritual director
at the Newman School in Lakewood
, New Jersey
. He was a curate at St. John Chrysostom Church (1935–1936) and at Blessed Sacrament Church (1936–1942) in New York. During World War II
, he was a chaplain
in the United States Navy
from 1942 to 1946. He then returned to New York, where he became master of ceremonies
to Cardinal Francis Spellman. Serving as executive director
of Catholic Charities
from 1947 to 1950, he was raised to the rank of a Papal Chamberlain
in 1947 and a Domestic Prelate
in 1948.
On January 28, 1950, Weldon was appointed the fourth Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following March 24 from Cardinal Spellman, with Cardinal Richard Cushing and Bishop Stephen Joseph Donahue
serving as co-consecrators
. During his tenure, Weldon oversaw the construction of Cathedral High School
, Our Lady of Lourdes School in Springfield
, added a wing to Farren Memorial Hospital in Montague, and built Mont Marie, the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph
of Springfield. He erected 10 new parishes
, and constructed 11 new churches and several parish centers. He established a center for the Hispanic
apostolate in Springfield, and a diocesan newspaper
in 1954. He attended the Second Vatican Council
from 1962 to 1965, and served as president of Elms College
from 1958 to 1977.
After 27 years as bishop, Weldon resigned on October 15, 1977. He later died at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, aged 76.
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 Springfield in Massachusetts
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden in the state of Massachusetts. It is led by...
from 1950 to 1977.
Biography
Christopher Weldon was born in the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
section of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Patrick and Mary (née Dwyer) Weldon. After graduating from P.S. 9
P.S. 9
Public School 9, The Sarah Anderson School , is a public elementary K–5 neighborhood catchment school that offers two programs: Renaissance and Gifted. Founded in 1830, P.S. 9 is located on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City.- Principals :* Ms. Bernadette Castronuovo O'Brien — PS 9 |...
in 1918, he then studied at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
Grand séminaire de Montréal
The Grand séminaire de Montréal is the sacerdotal school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal. The institution was founded by the sulpicians in 1840 on the demands of Ignace Bourget. A branch of Université Laval's faculty of theology was installed in the seminar in 1878...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, 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...
until 1924, when he returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and entered St. Joseph's Seminary
St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie
St. Joseph's Seminary and College, sometimes referred to as Dunwoodie, after the Yonkers, New York neighborhood it is located in, is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. Its primary mission is to form men for the priesthood in the Catholic Church...
in Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. 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....
on September 21, 1929, at St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
The Cathedral of St. Patrick is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States...
.
Weldon completed his graduate studies
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He 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. John the Evangelist Church in White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
and at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mount Kisco
Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. From 1931 to 1935, Weldon was spiritual director
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
at the Newman School in Lakewood
Lakewood Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 60,352 people, 19,876 households, and 13,356 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,431.8 people per square mile . There were 21,214 housing units at an average density of 854.8 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He was a curate at St. John Chrysostom Church (1935–1936) and at Blessed Sacrament Church (1936–1942) in New York. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from 1942 to 1946. He then returned to New York, where he became master of ceremonies
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
to Cardinal Francis Spellman. Serving as executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
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...
from 1947 to 1950, he was raised to the rank of a Papal Chamberlain
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 1947 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 1948.
On January 28, 1950, Weldon was appointed the fourth Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden in the state of Massachusetts. It is led by...
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 the following March 24 from Cardinal Spellman, with Cardinal Richard Cushing and Bishop Stephen Joseph Donahue
Stephen Joseph Donahue
Stephen Joseph Donahue was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1934 to 1972.-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...
. During his tenure, Weldon oversaw the construction of Cathedral High School
Cathedral High School (Springfield, Massachusetts)
Cathedral High School is a Catholic co-educational college-preparatory High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Opened in 1883 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph at the diocese's Saint Michael's Cathedral, its current facility has been at 260 Surrey Road since 1959 in one of the city's residential...
, Our Lady of Lourdes School in Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, added a wing to Farren Memorial Hospital in Montague, and built Mont Marie, the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
of Springfield. He erected 10 new parishes
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
, and constructed 11 new churches and several parish centers. He established a center for the Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
apostolate in Springfield, and a 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...
in 1954. He attended 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...
from 1962 to 1965, and served as president of Elms College
Elms College
The College of Our Lady of the Elms, often called Elms College, is a Catholic liberal arts college located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, near Springfield.- History :...
from 1958 to 1977.
After 27 years as bishop, Weldon resigned on October 15, 1977. He later died at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, aged 76.