Maurice F. McAuliffe
Encyclopedia
Maurice Francis McAuliffe (June 17, 1875—December 15, 1944) was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Hartford
from 1934 until his death in 1944.
, Connecticut
, to Daniel and Catherine (née Noonan) McAuliffe. He graduated from Hartford Public High School
in 1894, and attended Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg
, Maryland
, for a year. He then continued his studies at the Grand Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Issy
, France
, and at the University of Eichstätt
in Germany
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on July 29, 1900.
Following his return to Connecticut, he was appointed to the faculty of St. Thomas Seminary
in Bloomfield
. He served as vice-president of the seminary from 1906 until 1921, when he was advanced to president. He was named a domestic prelate
in 1924.
On December 17, 1925, McAuliffe was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Hartford and Titular Bishop
of Dercos by Pope Pius XI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on April 28, 1926 from Bishop John Joseph Nilan
, with Bishops John Murray
and William A. Hickey
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Joseph's Cathedral. He selected as his episcopal motto
: In Caritate Dei (Latin
: "In Love of God"). Following the death of Bishop Nilan, McAuliffe was named the eighth Bishop of Hartford
on April 23, 1934.
During his ten-year-long tenure, he established twenty-five parishes, nine parochial schools, and several junior high schools. He was also responsible for St. Joseph's College in West Hartford
, Annhurst College
in South Woodstock
, St. Basil's College in Stamford
, and Fairfield College Preparatory School
in Fairfield
. He organized the campaign to raise $1 million for improvements to St. Francis Hospital
in Hartford. He also founded St. Joseph's Hospital in Stamford, St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport
, and St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury
.
McAuliffe was admitted to St. Francis Hospital on December 3, 1944, and placed in an oxygen tent. He later died at age 69.
McAuliffe Hall on the campus of Fairfield University
is named in honor of Bishop McAuliffe, who sanctioned the creation of the University in 1941. The Knight of Columbus Council 3181 - Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe in Windsor, Connecticut
is also named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman 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 Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
from 1934 until his death in 1944.
Biography
Maurice McAuliffe was born in HartfordHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, to Daniel and Catherine (née Noonan) McAuliffe. He graduated from Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States , second to the Boston Latin School. It is a part of the Hartford Public Schools district.-History:...
in 1894, and attended Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, for a year. He then continued his studies at the Grand Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Issy
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. On 1 January 2003, Issy-les-Moulineaux became part of the Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine along with the other communes of Chaville, Meudon, Vanves and Ville-d'Avray...
, 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...
, and at the University of Eichstätt
Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
The Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt is a Roman Catholic university in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany.The Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt is the one and only Roman Catholic university in the German-speaking world. Compared to other German universities The...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. 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 July 29, 1900.
Following his return to Connecticut, he was appointed to the faculty of St. Thomas Seminary
St. Thomas Seminary
St. Thomas Seminary, located in Bloomfield, Connecticut, was a minor seminary for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford. The current rector is the Rev. Msgr. Gerard G. Schmitz.-History:...
in Bloomfield
Bloomfield, Connecticut
Bloomfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,626 at the 2009 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.2 square miles is water.Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the...
. He served as vice-president of the seminary from 1906 until 1921, when he was advanced to president. He was named a domestic prelate
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1924.
On December 17, 1925, McAuliffe 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 Hartford 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 Dercos by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. 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 April 28, 1926 from Bishop John Joseph Nilan
John Joseph Nilan
John Joseph Nilan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Hartford from 1910 until his death in 1934.-Biography:...
, with Bishops John Murray
John Murray (archbishop)
John Gregory Murray was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Saint Paul from 1931 until his death in 1956, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford and Bishop of Portland .-Early life and education:John Murray was born in Waterbury,...
and William A. Hickey
William A. Hickey
William Augustine Hickey was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Providence from 1921 until his death.-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...
, at St. Joseph's Cathedral. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: In Caritate Dei (Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: "In Love of God"). Following the death of Bishop Nilan, McAuliffe was named the eighth Bishop of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
on April 23, 1934.
During his ten-year-long tenure, he established twenty-five parishes, nine parochial schools, and several junior high schools. He was also responsible for St. Joseph's College in West Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
, Annhurst College
Annhurst College
Annhurst College was a private Catholic college in South Woodstock, Connecticut. The college's curriculum was career-focused.It was founded by Mother Louis du Sacré-Coeur, D.H.S., the Provincial of the American Province of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit in 1940 as an all women's college...
in South Woodstock
South Woodstock, Connecticut
South Woodstock is a census-designated place in Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,211 at the 2000 census.It is notable as the former home of the now-defunct Annhurst College.-Geography:...
, St. Basil's College in Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, and Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School is a Jesuit Prep School located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all male school of about 900 students, first founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942...
in Fairfield
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
. He organized the campaign to raise $1 million for improvements to St. Francis Hospital
Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center
Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center is an acute care hospital located on Woodland Street in Hartford, Connecticut. The hospital was established in 1897 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry. The hospital has 617 beds and 65 bassinets. It is the largest Catholic hospital in New...
in Hartford. He also founded St. Joseph's Hospital in Stamford, St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, and St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
.
McAuliffe was admitted to St. Francis Hospital on December 3, 1944, and placed in an oxygen tent. He later died at age 69.
McAuliffe Hall on the campus of Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
is named in honor of Bishop McAuliffe, who sanctioned the creation of the University in 1941. The Knight of Columbus Council 3181 - Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe in Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population was estimated at 28,778 in 2005....
is also named in his honor.