John Jeremiah McRaith
Encyclopedia
John Jeremiah McRaith is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Owensboro
from 1982 to 2009.
, Minnesota
. He attended St. John's Preparatory School
in Collegeville, and both Loras College
and St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque
, Iowa
.
He was ordained
a priest
for the Diocese of New Ulm
on February 21, 1960. He served as chancellor
and vicar general
of the Diocese, and as executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1971 to 1978.
On October 23, 1982, McRaith was appointed the third Bishop of Owensboro
, Kentucky
, by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following December 15 from Archbishop Thomas Kelly, O.P.
, with Bishops Henry Soenneker
and Raymond Lucker
serving as co-consecrators
.
McRaith resigned for health reasons on January 5, 2009, after a 26-year-long period as ordinary
of the Diocese of Owensboro
. He explained, "I do not have a life-threatening illness, but my doctors have advised me to slow down."
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 Owensboro
Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro is a Roman Catholic diocese in Kentucky. It was founded on December 9, 1937. It is currently a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Louisville...
from 1982 to 2009.
Biography
John McRaith was born in HutchinsonHutchinson, Minnesota
According to the 2000 United States Census , there were 13,080 people, 5,333 households, and 3,418 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,763.6 people per square mile . There were 5,667 housing units at an average density of 764.1 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He attended St. John's Preparatory School
Saint John's Preparatory School (Collegeville, Minnesota)
Founded in 1857, Saint John’s Preparatory School is a Catholic/Benedictine, co-educational, day and boarding college preparatory school located in Collegeville, Minnesota. The school includes a Middle School consisting of grades 6-8 and an Upper School consisting of grades 9-12...
in Collegeville, and both 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...
and St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, 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...
.
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....
a priest
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....
for the Diocese of New Ulm
Roman Catholic Diocese of New Ulm
The Roman Catholic Diocese of New Ulm is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota. It was founded on November 18, 1957, by Pope Pius XII. On July 14, 2008, John M. LeVoir was appointed as Bishop of New Ulm.The past bishops of the diocese are:...
on February 21, 1960. He served as 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, and as executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1971 to 1978.
On October 23, 1982, McRaith was appointed the third Bishop of Owensboro
Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro is a Roman Catholic diocese in Kentucky. It was founded on December 9, 1937. It is currently a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Louisville...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 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 ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
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....
on the following December 15 from Archbishop Thomas Kelly, O.P.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, with Bishops Henry Soenneker
Henry Joseph Soenneker
Henry Joseph Soenneker was an American Roman Catholic bishop.Henry Soenneker was born in Melrose, Minnesota, to Henry and Mary Soenneker. He studied at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1930. He was ordained to the priesthood...
and Raymond Lucker
Raymond Alphonse Lucker
Raymond Alphonse Lucker was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of New Ulm from 1976 to 2000.-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...
.
McRaith resigned for health reasons on January 5, 2009, after a 26-year-long period as ordinary
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 Diocese of Owensboro
Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro is a Roman Catholic diocese in Kentucky. It was founded on December 9, 1937. It is currently a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Louisville...
. He explained, "I do not have a life-threatening illness, but my doctors have advised me to slow down."