James Stephen Sullivan
Encyclopedia
James Stephen Sullivan was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Fargo
from 1985 to 2002.
, Michigan
, to Stephen and Dorothy (née Bernier) Sullivan. After attending St. Augustine Cathedral School in Kalamazoo, he attended high school
and two years of college
at St. Joseph Seminary in Grand Rapids
. He then studied at Sacred Heart Seminary
in Detroit
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1951. He completed his theological
studies at St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth
.
Sullivan was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop Joseph H. Albers
on June 4, 1955. After doing pastoral work in Flint
, Lansing
, and St. Joseph
, he served as private secretary
to Bishop Albers and his successor Bishop Alexander M. Zaleski
, and then as assistant chancellor
and vicar general
of the Diocese of Lansing
. He was also vocations director and founder of Liturgical Publications.
On July 25, 1972, Sullivan was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Lansing and Titular Bishop
of Siccesi by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following September 21 from Bishop Zaleski, with Bishops Michael Joseph Green
and Paul Vincent Donovan
serving as co-consecrators
. Following the death of Bishop Justin Albert Driscoll
, Sullivan was named the sixth Bishop of Fargo
, North Dakota
, by Pope John Paul II
on March 29, 1985. He was installed
at St. Mary's Cathedral
on the following May 30.
During his tenure, Sullivan established the Fargo Catholic Schools Network and the Opening Doors, Opening Hearts evangelization program. He improved the financial condition of the diocese and funded the Priest Pension Plan through the Shepherd's Care Campaign. He became nationally known for his work with pro-life
efforts, and initiated the annual Walk with Christ for Life in 1992 to publicly protest abortion
. In 1993 he was chosen by John Paul II to address the English
-speaking audience attending World Youth Day
in Denver
, Colorado
. He also served as episcopal liaison to the Cursillo
movement and the Catholic Marketing Association, as president
of the World Apostolate of Fatima
, and as a member of the advisory board for Catholics United for the Faith.
After sixteen years as Bishop of Fargo, Sullivan resigned on March 18, 2002. He resided at the rectory
at Holy Spirit Church in Fargo before moving to Rosewood on Broadway in 2006. He died of complications from Alzheimer's disease
, 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 Fargo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on April 6, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Fargo, North Dakota is the episcopal see of the diocese.-Bishops of the Diocese of Fargo:...
from 1985 to 2002.
Biography
James Sullivan was born in KalamazooKalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, to Stephen and Dorothy (née Bernier) Sullivan. After attending St. Augustine Cathedral School in Kalamazoo, he attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and two years of college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
at St. Joseph Seminary in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
. He then studied at Sacred Heart Seminary
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a Catholic institution of higher learning associated with the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is located at 2701 West Chicago Boulevard, at the western edge of the Boston-Edison Historic District in Detroit, Michigan. In 2006-2007, 93 seminarians and over 400 lay...
in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1951. He completed his theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
studies at St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth
Plymouth, Michigan
Plymouth is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,132 at the 2010 census. The City of Plymouth is an enclave completely surrounded by Plymouth Charter Township, Michigan.-Geography:...
.
Sullivan 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 Bishop Joseph H. Albers
Joseph H. Albers
Joseph H. Albers D.D. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1929 at the age of 38, he was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, making him one of the youngest Roman Catholic bishops in the country. He continued in this role until he was assigned to establish the new Diocese of Lansing, Michigan...
on June 4, 1955. After doing pastoral work in Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, and St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Michigan
St. Joseph is a city in the US state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,789. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county...
, he served as 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....
to Bishop Albers and his successor Bishop Alexander M. Zaleski
Alexander M. Zaleski
Alexander Mieceslaus Zaleski was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Lansing from 1965 until his death in 1975.-Biography:...
, and then as assistant 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....
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 Diocese of Lansing
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing
The Catholic Diocese of Lansing is located in Lansing, Michigan. It encompasses an area of 6,218 square miles including the counties of Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Shiawassee and Washtenaw...
. He was also vocations director and founder of Liturgical Publications.
On July 25, 1972, Sullivan 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 Lansing 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 Siccesi 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...
. 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 September 21 from Bishop Zaleski, with Bishops Michael Joseph Green
Michael Joseph Green
Michael Joseph Green was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Reno in the state of Nevada from 1967-1974.-Biography:...
and Paul Vincent Donovan
Paul Vincent Donovan
Paul Vincent Donovan was a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo in the state of Michigan from 1971-1994.-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...
. Following the death of Bishop Justin Albert Driscoll
Justin Albert Driscoll
Justin Albert Driscoll was an American Roman Catholic clergyman. He served as President of Loras College and Bishop of Fargo .-Biography:...
, Sullivan was named the sixth Bishop of Fargo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on April 6, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Fargo, North Dakota is the episcopal see of the diocese.-Bishops of the Diocese of Fargo:...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on March 29, 1985. He was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
at St. Mary's Cathedral
Cathedral of St. Mary (Fargo, North Dakota)
The Cathedral of St. Mary is a Catholic cathedral located in Fargo, North Dakota, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Fargo. The parish was founded in 1880, and the present church building was completed in 1899 in the Romanesque Revival style....
on the following May 30.
During his tenure, Sullivan established the Fargo Catholic Schools Network and the Opening Doors, Opening Hearts evangelization program. He improved the financial condition of the diocese and funded the Priest Pension Plan through the Shepherd's Care Campaign. He became nationally known for his work with pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
efforts, and initiated the annual Walk with Christ for Life in 1992 to publicly protest abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. In 1993 he was chosen by John Paul II to address the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking audience attending World Youth Day
World Youth Day
World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....
in Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He also served as episcopal liaison to the Cursillo
Cursillo
Cursillos in Christianity is a ministry of the Roman Catholic Church...
movement and the Catholic Marketing Association, as president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the World Apostolate of Fatima
Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fátima is a public international association of the Christian faithful that has as its general purpose "the promotion of the authentic teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and the strict adherence to the tenets of the Gospel; the personal sanctification of adherents...
, and as a member of the advisory board for Catholics United for the Faith.
After sixteen years as Bishop of Fargo, Sullivan resigned on March 18, 2002. He resided at the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
at Holy Spirit Church in Fargo before moving to Rosewood on Broadway in 2006. He died of complications from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, aged 76.