Louis Sebastian Walsh
Encyclopedia
Louis Sebastian Walsh was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Portland
from 1906 until his death in 1924.
, Massachusetts
, to Patrick and Honora (née Foley) Walsh. He attended Holy Cross College
in Worcester
for one year before entering the Grand Seminary of Montreal
in Quebec
, Canada
. After attending the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris
, France
, he furthered his studies in canon law
and theology
at Rome
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Cardinal Raffaele Monaco La Valletta on December 23, 1882.
Following his return to Massachusetts, Walsh served as assistant pastor
at St. Joseph's Church
in Boston's West End. In 1884 he became professor
of church history
, canon law, and liturgy
at St. John's Seminary
in Brighton. He was named the first supervisor of Catholic school
s for the Archdiocese of Boston
in 1887. He was also one of the founders of the New England Catholic Historical Society and the Catholic Educational Association
.
On August 3, 1906, Walsh was appointed the fourth Bishop of Portland
, Maine
, by Pope Pius X
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following October 18 from Archbishop John Joseph Williams, with Bishops Matthew Harkins
and Thomas Daniel Beaven
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
. During his tenure, he established several new parishes
and schools, and renovated the cathedral. His tenure was also marked by a wave of immigrants
from Poland
, Italy
, Slovakia
, and Lithuania
. He met vocal opposition from groups of French American
s over the ownership of parish property, leading Walsh to place six of their leaders under interdict
. He supported the National Catholic Welfare Conference
and founded the Maine Catholic Historical Magazine.
Walsh's last years saw the rise of the Ku Klux Klan
as a political force in Maine, and particularly in Portland. The Diocese' successful and expanding parochial school system became a Klan rallying point. Walsh personally led the fight against the Barwise Bill
, a Klan-supported measure that would have prevented the Catholic Church from receiving state funds for any purpose. The measure, and two similar bills by State Senator (later Governor and U.S. Senator) Owen Brewster
and Senator Benedict Maher, were defeated, the last in a state-wide referendum. Walsh's successor as Bishop of Portland kept a much lower profile on Klan-related issues, however, allowing anti-Klan politicians to defend the church and Maine's Catholic population.
After returning from a canonical visit
to Rome and France in February 1924, Walsh was left exhausted and died two months later, aged 66.
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 Portland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine...
from 1906 until his death in 1924.
Biography
Louis Walsh was born in SalemSalem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, to Patrick and Honora (née Foley) Walsh. He attended Holy Cross College
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
for one year before entering 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...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. After attending the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice 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...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he furthered his studies in canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
and theology
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...
at 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...
. 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....
by Cardinal Raffaele Monaco La Valletta on December 23, 1882.
Following his return to Massachusetts, Walsh served as assistant pastor
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. Joseph's Church
St. Joseph Catholic Church (Boston, Massachusetts)
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church serving Beacon Hill and the West End in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by Alexander Parris and built in 1834 for the Twelfth Congregational Society, it was purchased by the Boston Roman Catholic Diocese in 1862.-References:*...
in Boston's West End. In 1884 he became 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 church history
History of Christianity
The history of Christianity concerns the Christian religion, its followers and the Church with its various denominations, from the first century to the present. Christianity was founded in the 1st century by the followers of Jesus of Nazareth who they believed to be the Christ or chosen one of God...
, canon law, and liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
at St. John's Seminary
St. John's Seminary (Massachusetts)
Saint John's Seminary, located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is a Catholic major seminary sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston....
in Brighton. He was named the first supervisor of 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 for the Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
in 1887. He was also one of the founders of the New England Catholic Historical Society and the Catholic Educational Association
National Catholic Educational Association
The National Catholic Educational Association is a private professional educational association of over 200,000 educators in Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs...
.
On August 3, 1906, Walsh was appointed the fourth Bishop of Portland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, by Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
. 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 October 18 from Archbishop John Joseph Williams, with Bishops Matthew Harkins
Matthew Harkins
Matthew Harkins was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Providence from 1887 until his death in 1921.-Biography:...
and Thomas Daniel Beaven
Thomas Daniel Beaven
Thomas Daniel Beaven was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts .Beaven was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and received his early education there...
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...
, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception may refer to:In Benin:*Basilique de l’Immaculée Conception, OuidahIn Burkina Faso:*Ouagadougou CathedralIn Canada:*Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception...
. During his tenure, he established several new parishes
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
and schools, and renovated the cathedral. His tenure was also marked by a wave of immigrants
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. He met vocal opposition from groups of French American
French American
French Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
s over the ownership of parish property, leading Walsh to place six of their leaders under interdict
Interdict (Roman Catholic Church)
In Roman Catholic canon law, an interdict is an ecclesiastical censure that excludes from certain rites of the Church individuals or groups, who nonetheless do not cease to be members of the Church.-Distinctions in canon law:...
. He supported the National Catholic Welfare Conference
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...
and founded the Maine Catholic Historical Magazine.
Walsh's last years saw the rise of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan in Maine
Although the Ku Klux Klan is popularly associated with white supremacy, the revived Klan of the 1920s was also anti-Catholic. In the State of Maine, with a negligible African-American population but a burgeoning number of French-Canadian and Irish immigrants, the Klan revival of the 1920s was...
as a political force in Maine, and particularly in Portland. The Diocese' successful and expanding parochial school system became a Klan rallying point. Walsh personally led the fight against the Barwise Bill
Mark Alton Barwise
Mark Alton Barwise was the only publicly practicing member of the Spiritualist religion known to have been elected to a state office in the United States. Born in Chester, Maine of a medianistic mother, Barwise became an attorney and nationally-prominent member of the National Spiritualist...
, a Klan-supported measure that would have prevented the Catholic Church from receiving state funds for any purpose. The measure, and two similar bills by State Senator (later Governor and U.S. Senator) Owen Brewster
Owen Brewster
Ralph Owen Brewster was an American politician from Maine. Brewster, a Republican, was solidly conservative...
and Senator Benedict Maher, were defeated, the last in a state-wide referendum. Walsh's successor as Bishop of Portland kept a much lower profile on Klan-related issues, however, allowing anti-Klan politicians to defend the church and Maine's Catholic population.
After returning from a canonical visit
Canonical Visitation
A canonical visitation is the act of an ecclesiastical superior who in the discharge of his office visits persons or places with a view of maintaining faith and discipline, and of correcting abuses by the application of proper remedies.-Catholic usage:...
to Rome and France in February 1924, Walsh was left exhausted and died two months later, aged 66.