Francis John Dunn
Encyclopedia
Francis John Dunn was a bishop
in the Catholic Church in the United States
. He served as an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Dubuque
in the state of Iowa
from 1969-1989.
. He received his college education at Loras College
in Dubuque. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque on January 11, 1948 by Auxiliary Bishop Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald
at St. Raphael’s Cathedral. His first assignments were outside the city of Dubuque. From 1952-1955 he served Nativity Parish in Dubuque as an assistant pastor. In 1956 he was named assistant chancellor
and chaplain of St. Anthony’s Home for the Aged. He was sent to Rome
for further studies and when he returned he served as head of the Family Life Bureau. From 1961-1969 he served as the chaplain for the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
at Mount Carmel Convent and as Director of Catholic Cemeteries for the archdiocese.
On June 1, 1969 Pope Paul VI named him Titular Bishop
of Turris Tamalleni and Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque. He was ordained a bishop by Archbishop
James Joseph Byrne of Dubuque in St. Raphael’s Cathedral on August 27, 1969. The principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Leo Binz
of St. Paul and Minneapolis
and Bishop Edward A. Fitzgerald now of Winona
. While he sereved as auxiliary bishop in Dubuque he was also the vicar general
of the archdiocese and pastor
of St. Joseph the Worker Church. On February 8, 1987, Archbishop Daniel Kucera annonced his plans to divide the archdiocese into three regions with a resident bishop in each region. Bishop Dunn served the Cedar Rapids Region, Bishop William Edwin Franklin
served the Waterloo Region, and the archbishop in Dubuque. Dunn died in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
on November 17, 1989 at the age of 67.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in the Catholic Church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as 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 the Archdiocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
in the state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
from 1969-1989.
Biography
Dunn was born in Elkader, IowaElkader, Iowa
Elkader is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clayton County.-History:The city is named after Algerian leader Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri...
. He received his college education at Loras College
Loras College
Loras College is a four-year Catholic college located in Dubuque, Iowa, with a general attendance of approximately 1,700 students. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs...
in Dubuque. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque on January 11, 1948 by Auxiliary Bishop Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald
Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald
Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Winona from 1949 to 1969.- Biography :...
at St. Raphael’s Cathedral. His first assignments were outside the city of Dubuque. From 1952-1955 he served Nativity Parish in Dubuque as an assistant pastor. In 1956 he was named assistant chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
and chaplain of St. Anthony’s Home for the Aged. He was sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for further studies and when he returned he served as head of the Family Life Bureau. From 1961-1969 he served as the chaplain for the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known by their initials BVM, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the United States by Mother Mary Frances Clarke. BVM Sisters work in twenty-five U.S...
at Mount Carmel Convent and as Director of Catholic Cemeteries for the archdiocese.
On June 1, 1969 Pope Paul VI named him 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 Turris Tamalleni and Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque. He was ordained a bishop by 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...
James Joseph Byrne of Dubuque in St. Raphael’s Cathedral on August 27, 1969. The principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Leo Binz
Leo Binz
-External links:*...
of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by the prelature of an archbishop which administers the archdiocese from the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis...
and Bishop Edward A. Fitzgerald now of Winona
Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona
The Diocese of Winona is the Roman Catholic diocese which ministers to the people of southern Minnesota. The diocese includes Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Rock, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonowan,...
. While he sereved as auxiliary bishop in Dubuque he was also the vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the archdiocese and 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. Joseph the Worker Church. On February 8, 1987, Archbishop Daniel Kucera annonced his plans to divide the archdiocese into three regions with a resident bishop in each region. Bishop Dunn served the Cedar Rapids Region, Bishop William Edwin Franklin
William Edwin Franklin
William Edwin Franklin is a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Dubuque in the state of Iowa from 1987–1993, and as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, also in Iowa, from 1993-2006.-Early Life & Ministry:Born in Parnell,...
served the Waterloo Region, and the archbishop in Dubuque. Dunn died in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
on November 17, 1989 at the age of 67.