Henry Conwell
Encyclopedia
Henry Conwell was a Roman Catholic
clergyman. A priest in Ireland
for over forty years, he served as Bishop of Philadelphia
between Henry Conwell was born in Moneymore
, County Londonderry
, and studied at the Irish College
in Paris
, where his family had founded a burse. He was ordained
to the priesthood
in November 1776. He exercised the ministry in his native land for forty-four years, during which time he served as parish priest of Dungannon
and vicar general
of the Archdiocese of Armagh.
Following the death of Bishop Michael Francis Egan in 1814, the Diocese of Philadelphia
in the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
was offered successively to Fathers Ambrose Maréchal
, John Baptist Mary David
, and Louis de Barth, but all three clergymen declined the appointment due to the ongoing conflict with the lay
trustees
of St. Mary's Church. On November 26, 1819, the Holy See
appointed Conwell as Bishop of Philadelphia
. At age 74, Conwell accepted the heavy task despite his advanced age. He was consecrated
in London
by Bishop William Poynter
on August 24, 1820.
He arrived in Philadelphia on December 2, 1820. The seeds of future troubles had been sown during the vacancy, when the administrator, without demanding credentials, stationed Father William Hogan at St. Mary's. Hogan had so ingratiated himself with the board of trustees that when Conwell revoked his faculties on December 12, a schism
ensued which lasted for many years. He subsequently re-appointed Father William Vincent Harold, whom his predecessor had dismissed, as vicar general. This decision increased the tension and mistrust of the trustees, and on October 9, 1826, Conwell capitulated to the trustees, yielding to them the right of determining salaries and of vetoing his appointments. The Holy See, highly displeased at this surrender of episcopal rights, summoned Conwell to Rome
and forbid him to return to his diocese.
However, Conwell did return to Philadelphia and received permission to perform episcopal functions, without interfering in matters of administration. He received Francis Patrick Kenrick as his coadjutor bishop
in 1830, and spent his remaining years in seclusion and prayer. He died at age 94.
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania is named in his and his predecessor's honor.
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...
clergyman. A priest 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...
for over forty years, he served as Bishop of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
between Henry Conwell was born in Moneymore
Moneymore
Moneymore is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,369 in the 2001 Census.It is an example of a Plantation village in Mid-Ulster. It was the first town in Ulster to have piped water.-Geography:...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, and studied at the Irish College
Irish College in Paris
The Irish College in Paris was for three centuries a major Roman Catholic educational establishment, for Irish students. It was founded in the late sixteenth century, and closed down by the French government in the early twentieth century....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where his family had founded a burse. 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....
in November 1776. He exercised the ministry in his native land for forty-four years, during which time he served as parish priest of Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
and 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 of Armagh.
Following the death of Bishop Michael Francis Egan in 1814, the Diocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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...
was offered successively to Fathers Ambrose Maréchal
Ambrose Maréchal
Most Reverend Ambrose Maréchal, S.S. was the third Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland.Motto: Auspice Maria; "Under the protection of Mary."Ambrose Maréchal was born at Ingré near Orléans, France, on August 28, 1764...
, John Baptist Mary David
John Baptist Mary David
John Baptist Mary David P.S.S. was a French prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Bardstown from 1832 to 1833....
, and Louis de Barth, but all three clergymen declined the appointment due to the ongoing conflict with the lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
trustees
Trustee system (Catholic Church)
Trusteeism is a practice within certain parishes of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, under which laymen participate in the administration of Ecclesiastical Property...
of St. Mary's Church. On November 26, 1819, the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
appointed Conwell as Bishop of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
. At age 74, Conwell accepted the heavy task despite his advanced age. He was consecrated
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...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by Bishop William Poynter
William Poynter
William Poynter was an English Catholic priest, bishop as vicar apostolic in London.-Life:He was educated at the English College at Douai, where he was ordained in 1786...
on August 24, 1820.
He arrived in Philadelphia on December 2, 1820. The seeds of future troubles had been sown during the vacancy, when the administrator, without demanding credentials, stationed Father William Hogan at St. Mary's. Hogan had so ingratiated himself with the board of trustees that when Conwell revoked his faculties on December 12, a schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
ensued which lasted for many years. He subsequently re-appointed Father William Vincent Harold, whom his predecessor had dismissed, as vicar general. This decision increased the tension and mistrust of the trustees, and on October 9, 1826, Conwell capitulated to the trustees, yielding to them the right of determining salaries and of vetoing his appointments. The Holy See, highly displeased at this surrender of episcopal rights, summoned Conwell 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...
and forbid him to return to his diocese.
However, Conwell did return to Philadelphia and received permission to perform episcopal functions, without interfering in matters of administration. He received Francis Patrick Kenrick as his 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...
in 1830, and spent his remaining years in seclusion and prayer. He died at age 94.
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania is named in his and his predecessor's honor.