Francis McNeirny
Encyclopedia
Francis S. McNeirny was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Albany
from 1877 until his death in 1894.
, and received his early education at a private school run by a Mr. Sparrow, a Catholic teacher. In September 1841, he was sent to study under the Sulpicians
at the College of Montreal
. He graduated with distinction in 1849, and then made his theological studies at the Grand Seminary of Montreal
. While still a scholastic, he served as procurator
of the Grand Seminary for a year and then as professor
of belles-lettres
at the College of Montreal for two years.
After completing his studies, McNeirny returned to New York and was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop John Hughes
on May 21, 1842. He then worked as a curate
at St. Patrick's Cathedral
, and served Archbishop Hughes as his private secretary
and master of ceremonies
. He became chancellor
of the Archdiocese of New York
in 1857. He also served as pastor
of St. Mary's Church in Rondout
.
On December 22, 1871, McNeirny was appointed coadjutor bishop
of the Diocese of Albany
and titular bishop
of Rhesaina by Pope Pius IX
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on April 21, 1872 from Archbishop John McCloskey, with Bishops John Loughlin
and David William Bacon
serving as co-consecrators
, in St. Patrick's Cathedral. He was charged with the administration of the diocese on January 18, 1874, and later succeeded Bishop John J. Conroy
as the third Bishop of Albany
on October 16, 1877.
Although Albany lost territory with the erection of the Diocese of Ogdensburg
in 1872, McNeirny greatly increased the number of priests, churches, and parochial schools. He also secured the services of the Dominican Tertiaries
, Sisters of the Good Shepherd
, and Redemptorist Fathers
for the diocese. One of his greatest achievements was the enlargement and completion of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception by the addition of an apse
and the erection of new sacristies
and a tower.
Bishop McNeirny died from pneumonia
at his residence in Albany, aged 65.
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 Bishop of Albany
Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany covers all or part of 14 counties in Eastern New York...
from 1877 until his death in 1894.
Biography
Francis McNeirny was born in New York CityNew 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...
, and received his early education at a private school run by a Mr. Sparrow, a Catholic teacher. In September 1841, he was sent to study under the Sulpicians
Society of Saint-Sulpice
The Society of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life named for Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Paris, in turn named for St. Sulpitius the Pious. Typically, priests become members of the Society of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. Uniquely, Sulpicians retain...
at the College of Montreal
Collège de Montréal
The Collège de Montréal is a private secondary school for students attending grades 7–11 located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A former Roman Catholic Seminary, it was founded 1 June 1767 as the Petit Séminaire of Montreal by the Suplician Order...
. He graduated with distinction in 1849, and then made his theological studies 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...
. While still a scholastic, he served as procurator
Procurator
Procurator may refer to:*Procurator , the title of various officials of the Roman Empire...
of the Grand Seminary for a year and then as professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of belles-lettres
Belles-lettres
Belles-lettres or belles lettres is a term that is used to describe a category of writing. A writer of belles-lettres is a belletrist. However, the boundaries of that category vary in different usages....
at the College of Montreal for two years.
After completing his studies, McNeirny returned to New York 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....
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....
by Archbishop John Hughes
John Hughes (archbishop)
John Joseph Hughes , was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fourth Bishop and first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, serving between 1842 and his death in 1864....
on May 21, 1842. He then worked 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. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, New York
The Basilica of Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral, or Old St. Patrick's, is located at 260-264 Mulberry Street between Prince and Houston Streets in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, with the primary entrance currently located on Mott Street...
, and served Archbishop Hughes as his 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 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....
. He became chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
in 1857. He also served as 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. Mary's Church in Rondout
Rondout, New York
Rondout was a village located on the north side of Rondout Creek near its mouth on the Hudson River in Ulster County and includes the Rondout-West Strand Historic District....
.
On December 22, 1871, McNeirny was appointed coadjutor bishop
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 the Diocese of Albany
Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany covers all or part of 14 counties in Eastern New York...
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 Rhesaina by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. 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 April 21, 1872 from Archbishop John McCloskey, with Bishops John Loughlin
John Loughlin (bishop)
John Loughlin was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Brooklyn, New York .-References:...
and David William Bacon
David William Bacon
David William Bacon was the first Roman Catholic bishop of Portland, Maine. Bacon was born in New York City. He majored in classical studies at the Sulpician College at Montreal and studied theology at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was ordained a priest in Baltimore,...
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 St. Patrick's Cathedral. He was charged with the administration of the diocese on January 18, 1874, and later succeeded Bishop John J. Conroy
John J. Conroy
John Joseph Conroy was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Albany from 1865 to 1877.-Biography:...
as the third Bishop of Albany
Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany covers all or part of 14 counties in Eastern New York...
on October 16, 1877.
Although Albany lost territory with the erection of the Diocese of Ogdensburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg is a Roman Catholic diocese in New York. It was founded on February 15, 1872.On February 23, 2010, the Most Reverend Terry R...
in 1872, McNeirny greatly increased the number of priests, churches, and parochial schools. He also secured the services of the Dominican Tertiaries
Third Order of Saint Dominic
The Third Order of St. Dominic is a Roman Catholic third order affiliated with the Dominican Order.-Origin:...
, Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd Sisters
The Good Shepherd Sisters is a Roman Catholic order of women religious. In addition to the standard vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the Good Shepherd Sisters take the following fourth vow of zeal for souls [to save souls], particularly of women and girls."I bind myself to the labor for...
, and Redemptorist Fathers
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
for the diocese. One of his greatest achievements was the enlargement and completion of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception by the addition of an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
and the erection of new sacristies
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
and a tower.
Bishop McNeirny died from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at his residence in Albany, aged 65.