Joseph Vincent Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Joseph Vincent Sullivan (August 15, 1919—September 4, 1982) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Baton Rouge
from 1974 until his death in 1982.
, Missouri
, to John Lawrence and Anastasia Agnes (née Presser) Sullivan. He received his early education at local Catholic school
s, and began his seminary
formation in Missouri. He then studied at the Sulpician Seminary of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
He was ordained
to the priesthood
on June 1, 1946. He earned a doctorate in theology
from the Catholic University in 1949.
As a priest of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
, Sullivan served as assistant superintendent
(1948–50) and superintendent (1951–57) of diocesan schools. From 1957 to 1967, he was chancellor
of the diocese. On March 4, 1967, he was appointed auxiliary bishop
of Kansas City-St. Joseph and titular bishop
of Thagamuta by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following April 3 from Bishop Charles Herman Helmsing
, with Cardinal John Cody and Bishop Joseph M. Marling
serving as co-consecrators
. As an auxiliary bishop, he also served as vicar general
of the diocese.
Following the resignation of Bishop Robert Emmet Tracy
, Sullivan was named the second Bishop of Baton Rouge
, Louisiana
, on August 8, 1974. His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. Joseph
on September 4 of that year. He was strongly conservative
and emphasized fidelity to Catholic doctrine. In February 1979, he refused to allow theologian Charles Curran
, whom Sullivan denounced as "heretical" and "not in accord with Catholic teaching", to speak at the Catholic Campus Ministry at Louisiana State University
. After he removed the Claretian Fathers
from the chaplain
cy at Louisiana State University in March 1979, 51 priests filed a list of grievances with the Holy See
.
In February 1981, Sullivan issued a pastoral letter
in which he declared that ministries to divorced and remarried Catholics "may not witness, explicitly or implicitly, that the living Church condones the marital lifestyle of those living in an invalid marriage." An outspoken supporter of the pro-life movement, he frequently condemned abortion
and euthanasia
. In 1981, he was the only Catholic bishop to vote against providing the endorsement of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
to the Hatch Amendment
, saying, "Plain logic tells us this is a compromise, and I don't think we have to accept a compromise." He also promoted Catholic education, establishing elementary schools and planning for a new high school. Sullivan later died at age 63.
In October 2009, the Diocese of Baton Rouge paid $225,000 to settle a lawsuit in which a man from Houston, Texas
, claimed he was sexually abused by Sullivan as a seminarian between 1978 and 1982. A Louisiana high school named after Sullivan changed its name following the settlement of a separate lawsuit alleging Sullivan had sexually abused a minor boy.
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 Baton Rouge
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, officially in Latin Dioecesis Rubribaculensis, is a Latin Rite diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of New Orleans....
from 1974 until his death in 1982.
Biography
Joseph Sullivan was born in Kansas CityKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, to John Lawrence and Anastasia Agnes (née Presser) Sullivan. He received his early education at local Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
s, and began his seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
formation in Missouri. He then studied at the Sulpician Seminary of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
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....
on June 1, 1946. He earned a doctorate in theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
from the Catholic University in 1949.
As a priest of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
, Sullivan served as assistant superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
(1948–50) and superintendent (1951–57) of diocesan schools. From 1957 to 1967, he was 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 diocese. On March 4, 1967, he 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 Kansas City-St. Joseph 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 Thagamuta 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 April 3 from Bishop Charles Herman Helmsing
Charles Herman Helmsing
The Most Reverend Charles Herman Helmsing was an American Roman Catholic bishop.- History :...
, with Cardinal John Cody and Bishop Joseph M. Marling
Joseph M. Marling
Joseph Mary Marling, CPPS was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Jefferson City from 1956 to 1969.-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...
. As an auxiliary bishop, he also served as 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.
Following the resignation of Bishop Robert Emmet Tracy
Robert Emmet Tracy
Robert Emmet Tracy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1961 to 1974.-Biography:...
, Sullivan was named the second Bishop of Baton Rouge
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, officially in Latin Dioecesis Rubribaculensis, is a Latin Rite diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of New Orleans....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, on August 8, 1974. His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. Joseph
St. Joseph Cathedral (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
St. Joseph Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, and it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1990. -History:...
on September 4 of that year. He was strongly conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
and emphasized fidelity to Catholic doctrine. In February 1979, he refused to allow theologian Charles Curran
Charles Curran (theologian)
The Rev. Charles E. Curran is a moral theologian. He currently serves at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values.-Biography:...
, whom Sullivan denounced as "heretical" and "not in accord with Catholic teaching", to speak at the Catholic Campus Ministry at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. After he removed the Claretian Fathers
Claretians
The Claretians, a community of Roman Catholic priests and brothers, were founded by Saint Anthony Claret in 1849. They strive to follow their founder's “on fire” example and help wherever they are needed. Their ministries are highly diverse and vary depending on the needs of the area. They focus...
from the chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
cy at Louisiana State University in March 1979, 51 priests filed a list of grievances with 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...
.
In February 1981, Sullivan issued a pastoral letter
Pastoral letter
A Pastoral letter, often called simply a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or laity of his diocese, or to both, containing either general admonition, instruction or consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances...
in which he declared that ministries to divorced and remarried Catholics "may not witness, explicitly or implicitly, that the living Church condones the marital lifestyle of those living in an invalid marriage." An outspoken supporter of the pro-life movement, he frequently condemned 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...
and euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. In 1981, he was the only Catholic bishop to vote against providing the endorsement of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
to the Hatch Amendment
Human Life Amendment
The Human Life Amendment is the name for any amendment to the United States Constitution that would have the effect of overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that denied states the authority to prohibit abortion. Although all of these amendments are intended to overturn Roe v...
, saying, "Plain logic tells us this is a compromise, and I don't think we have to accept a compromise." He also promoted Catholic education, establishing elementary schools and planning for a new high school. Sullivan later died at age 63.
In October 2009, the Diocese of Baton Rouge paid $225,000 to settle a lawsuit in which a man from Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, claimed he was sexually abused by Sullivan as a seminarian between 1978 and 1982. A Louisiana high school named after Sullivan changed its name following the settlement of a separate lawsuit alleging Sullivan had sexually abused a minor boy.