Coleman Carroll
Encyclopedia
Coleman Francis Carroll (February 9, 1905—July 26, 1977) was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Miami
from 1958 until his death in 1977.
, the second of three children of William and B. Margaret (née Hogan) Carroll. His parents were both born in Ireland
, and his father, who worked as a railroad brakeman
and clerk for Carnegie Steel Company
, died in 1922. His two brothers also joined the priesthood
; his older brother, Howard Joseph Carroll
, served as Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown
, and his younger brother, Walter Sharp Carroll, worked in the Vatican Secretariat of State. He attended Holy Rosary elementary and high schools in Homewood
, and later graduated from Duquesne University
in 1926. His theological studies were made at St. Vincent Seminary
in Latrobe
.
On June 15, 1930, Carroll was ordained
a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh
. He then served as a curate
at the Church of the Resurrection in Brookline
, St. Scholastica Church in Aspinwall
, St. Basil Church in Carrick
, and Holy Cross Church on the South Side
. In 1944, he earned a Doctor of Canon Law
degree from the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
He organized St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills
in 1949, serving as its founding pastor
. He became Sacred Heart Church in East Liberty
in 1951, and was named diocesan vicar for religious
in 1952. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate
in September 1952. He also headed the philosophy department at Duquesne University for four years, and taught at Mount Mercy College
for ten years.
On August 25, 1953, Carroll was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop
of Pitanae by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following November 10 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops John Francis Dearden and Michael Joseph Ready
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of St. Paul
. His consecration was attended by over 2,000 people, including Pennsylvania's first Catholic governor, David L. Lawrence
. As an auxiliary bishop, Carroll assisted Bishop Dearden with the administrative duties of the diocese, and continued to serve as pastor of Sacred Heart Church.
On August 13, 1958, Carroll was named the first Bishop
of the newly-erected Diocese of Miami
in Florida
. His installation took place on the following October 7. At the time of his arrival, the diocese comprised sixteen counties in southern Florida with a Catholic population of 185,000. By the time of his death, the archdiocese was composed of eight counties, and included 700,000 Catholics, 127 parishes, 500 priests, and 750 nuns. A little over a year following his installation, Carroll founded St. John Vianney College Seminary
in Miami. He later opened St. Vincent de Paul Seminary at Boynton Beach
in 1963. He also established a weekly diocesan newspaper called The Voice.
In response to the Cuban exile
, Carroll welcomed over half a million Cuba
n refugees into the diocese. In 1960, he used the four-story school building of Gesu Church
to establish the Centro Hispano Catolico, a welfare agency that provided medical care, child care, legal aid, employment service, food, clothing and cash for Cuban refugees in the diocese. He also helped to coordinate Operation Peter Pan
, and even scolded Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh, who headed the diocesan Catholic Charities
program, for not agreeing to resettle more unaccompanied children. However, Carroll was accused by some Hispanic Catholics, including a number of priests, of showing little interest in their community. They also claimed he was trying to Anglicize
the diocese by limiting Spanish
-language education in parochial schools and Spanish-language Masses. Carroll did, however, maintain amicable relationships with local African American
and Jewish leaders. He was a frequent visitor of Camillus House
, established homes for the elderly and unwed mothers, and opened rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and alcoholics.
Carroll was known for his firm control over his priests and parishioners, as well as for his outspoken conservative political views and progressive social outlook. He was a vocal opponent of a local ordinance in Dade County that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, supporting the Save Our Children
campaign led by Anita Bryant
. Despite his opposition to gay rights, he was an advocate for racial justice and strongly supported the civil rights movement. On theological matters, he was described as a "hardline Roman Catholic traditionalist" known for his "vociferous opposition to liberalization of the church." He also opposed repealing the practice of abstaining from meat
on Fridays.
When the Diocese of Miami was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese
by Pope Paul VI
on March 2, 1968, Carroll became its first Archbishop
. The Dioceses of Orlando
and of St. Petersburg were erected from the Archdiocese of Miami, with Carroll holding the status of a metropolitan bishop
over them. Less than ten years later, Carroll took ill and Edward A. McCarthy
was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop
of Miami in 1976.
At age 72, Carroll died from complications stemming from a vascular disease at his residence in Miami Beach
. He was buried three days later in the priests' section of Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Miami.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman 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 Archbishop of Miami
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami
The Archdiocese of Miami is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastic territory includes Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties in the U.S. state of Florida. The archdiocese is the metropolitan see for the Ecclesiastical Province of Miami,...
from 1958 until his death in 1977.
Biography
Coleman Carroll was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the second of three children of William and B. Margaret (née Hogan) Carroll. His parents were both born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and his father, who worked as a railroad brakeman
Brakeman
A brakeman is a rail transport worker whose original job it was to assist the braking of a train by applying brakes on individual wagons. The advent of through brakes on trains made this role redundant, although the name lives on in the United States where brakemen carry out a variety of functions...
and clerk for Carnegie Steel Company
Carnegie Steel Company
Carnegie Steel Company was a steel producing company created by Andrew Carnegie to manage business at his steel mills in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in the late 19th century.-Creation:...
, died in 1922. His two brothers also joined 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....
; his older brother, Howard Joseph Carroll
Howard Joseph Carroll
Howard Joseph Carroll was the fourth Roman Catholic Bishop of Altoona.He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended Duquesne University from 1920 to 1921. He then studied at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, from where he obtained Bachelor of Arts and Licentiate of Philosophy degrees...
, served as Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown
Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is a Roman Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania. It was established in May 1901 as the Diocese of Altoona; on October 9, 1957 the name changed to the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. It consists of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Huntingdon and...
, and his younger brother, Walter Sharp Carroll, worked in the Vatican Secretariat of State. He attended Holy Rosary elementary and high schools in Homewood
Homewood (Pittsburgh)
Homewood is a predominantly African American neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, officially divided into three neighborhoods: Homewood North, Homewood South and Homewood West....
, and later graduated from Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in 1926. His theological studies were made at St. Vincent Seminary
Saint Vincent Seminary
Saint Vincent Seminary is the fourth oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, forty miles southeast of Pittsburgh....
in Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
.
On June 15, 1930, Carroll 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 priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
. He 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 the Church of the Resurrection in Brookline
Brookline (Pittsburgh)
-Early settlement:Brookline was a part of the larger West Liberty Borough before its absorption intoPittsburgh in 1908. Early in its history, the area was mostly inhabited by miners and farmers...
, St. Scholastica Church in Aspinwall
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
Aspinwall is a borough on the Allegheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. It is essentially a residential place. In 1900, 1,231 people resided in Aspinwall, and that number rose to 2,592 in 1910, and 3,170 by 1920...
, St. Basil Church in Carrick
Carrick (Pittsburgh)
Carrick is a south neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is served by two zip codes, 15210 and 15227, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 with a part in District 3.Located between the suburbs of the South Hills and...
, and Holy Cross Church on the South Side
South Side (Pittsburgh)
South Side is an area in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, located along the Monongahela River across from Downtown Pittsburgh. The South Side is officially divided into two neighborhoods, South Side Flats and South Side Slopes. Both the Flats and the Slopes are represented on Pittsburgh City...
. In 1944, he earned a Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
degree from 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 organized St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills
Forest Hills, Pennsylvania
Forest Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,518 at the 2010 census, as compared to 6,831 in 2000, and 7,335 in 1990.-Geography:Forest Hills is located at...
in 1949, serving as its founding 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"....
. He became Sacred Heart Church in East Liberty
East Liberty (Pittsburgh)
East Liberty is a culturally diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's East End. It is bordered by Highland Park, Morningside, Stanton Heights, Garfield, Friendship, Shadyside and Larimer, and is represented on by Patrick Dowd...
in 1951, and was named diocesan vicar for religious
Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the term "consecrated life" denotes a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way recognized by the Church...
in 1952. 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 September 1952. He also headed the philosophy department at Duquesne University for four years, and taught at Mount Mercy College
Carlow University
Carlow University is a Roman Catholic university founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, on September 24, 1929, by the Sisters of Mercy from Carlow, Ireland. Originally called Mount Mercy College, the name was changed to Carlow College in April 1969. In 2004, Carlow College achieved university...
for ten years.
On August 25, 1953, Carroll was appointed 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 Pittsburgh 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 Pitanae 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 November 10 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops John Francis Dearden and Michael Joseph Ready
Michael Joseph Ready
Michael Joseph Ready was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Columbus from 1944 until his death.-Early life and education:...
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 the Cathedral of St. Paul
Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
. His consecration was attended by over 2,000 people, including Pennsylvania's first Catholic governor, David L. Lawrence
David L. Lawrence
David Leo Lawrence was an American politician who served as the 37th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1959 to 1963. He is to date the only mayor of Pittsburgh to be elected Governor of Pennsylvania. Previously, he had been the mayor of Pittsburgh from 1946 through 1959...
. As an auxiliary bishop, Carroll assisted Bishop Dearden with the administrative duties of the diocese, and continued to serve as pastor of Sacred Heart Church.
On August 13, 1958, Carroll was named the first Bishop
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of the newly-erected Diocese of Miami
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami
The Archdiocese of Miami is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastic territory includes Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties in the U.S. state of Florida. The archdiocese is the metropolitan see for the Ecclesiastical Province of Miami,...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. His installation took place on the following October 7. At the time of his arrival, the diocese comprised sixteen counties in southern Florida with a Catholic population of 185,000. By the time of his death, the archdiocese was composed of eight counties, and included 700,000 Catholics, 127 parishes, 500 priests, and 750 nuns. A little over a year following his installation, Carroll founded St. John Vianney College Seminary
St. John Vianney College Seminary
Saint John Vianney College Seminary is a Catholic institution, founded in 1959 by Archbishop Coleman Carroll, the first bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami. The goal of the institution is to form men for the diocesan priesthood by focusing on the pillars of formation: human, spiritual, pastoral, and...
in Miami. He later opened St. Vincent de Paul Seminary at Boynton Beach
Boynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...
in 1963. He also established a weekly diocesan newspaper called The Voice.
In response to the Cuban exile
Cuban exile
The term "Cuban exile" refers to the many Cubans who have sought alternative political or economic conditions outside the island, dating back to the Ten Years' War and the struggle for Cuban independence during the 19th century...
, Carroll welcomed over half a million Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n refugees into the diocese. In 1960, he used the four-story school building of Gesu Church
Gesu Church (Miami, Florida)
The Gesu Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Miami, Florida. It is located at 118 Northeast 2nd Street. On July 18, 1974, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places...
to establish the Centro Hispano Catolico, a welfare agency that provided medical care, child care, legal aid, employment service, food, clothing and cash for Cuban refugees in the diocese. He also helped to coordinate Operation Peter Pan
Operation Peter Pan
Operation Peter Pan , was an operation coordinated by the United States government , the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, and certain Cubans. Between 1960 and 1962, over 14,000 children were sent from Cuba to Miami by their parents...
, and even scolded Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh, who headed the diocesan 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...
program, for not agreeing to resettle more unaccompanied children. However, Carroll was accused by some Hispanic Catholics, including a number of priests, of showing little interest in their community. They also claimed he was trying to Anglicize
Anglicisation
Anglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
the diocese by limiting Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-language education in parochial schools and Spanish-language Masses. Carroll did, however, maintain amicable relationships with local 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...
and Jewish leaders. He was a frequent visitor of Camillus House
Camillus House
Camillus House is a registered 5013 Non-profit agency that provides humanitarian services to poor and homeless men, women and children in Miami-Dade County in southern Florida. Founded in 1960, Camillus House is one of the oldest and largest continuously operated charities in South Florida...
, established homes for the elderly and unwed mothers, and opened rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and alcoholics.
Carroll was known for his firm control over his priests and parishioners, as well as for his outspoken conservative political views and progressive social outlook. He was a vocal opponent of a local ordinance in Dade County that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, supporting the Save Our Children
Save Our Children
Save Our Children, Inc. was a political coalition formed in 1977 in Miami, Florida, U.S. to overturn a recently legislated county ordinance that banned discrimination in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation...
campaign led by Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
. Despite his opposition to gay rights, he was an advocate for racial justice and strongly supported the civil rights movement. On theological matters, he was described as a "hardline Roman Catholic traditionalist" known for his "vociferous opposition to liberalization of the church." He also opposed repealing the practice of abstaining from meat
Fasting and Abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church
For Roman Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food to one full meal a day. This may or may not be accompanied by abstinence from meat when eating....
on Fridays.
When the Diocese of Miami was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on March 2, 1968, Carroll became its first Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
. The Dioceses of Orlando
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was established on June 18, 1968. Prior to that the Central Florida area was part of the Diocese of St. Augustine. Today the diocese encompasses nine counties including Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Marion, Lake,...
and of St. Petersburg were erected from the Archdiocese of Miami, with Carroll holding the status of a metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
over them. Less than ten years later, Carroll took ill and Edward A. McCarthy
Edward A. McCarthy
Edward Anthony McCarthy , was the second Archbishop of Miami, Florida. He was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Miami on September 17, 1976 and succeeded Coleman Francis Carroll as Archbishop of Miami on July 26, 1977. Archbishop McCarthy retired as Archbishop on November 3, 1994...
was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop
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 Miami in 1976.
At age 72, Carroll died from complications stemming from a vascular disease at his residence in Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
. He was buried three days later in the priests' section of Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Miami.