Michael Domenec
Encyclopedia
Michael Domenec, D.D.
, C.M. (December 27, 1816 – January 7, 1878) was the second Roman Catholic
bishop
of the diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, and the only bishop of the short-lived Diocese of Allegheny
.
, near Tarragona
, Spain, to a wealthy family of high social standing. At the age of fifteen, his family left Spain for political reasons. They moved to France, where Domenec studied at the College of Montolieu
in Aude
, where he joined the Congregation of the Mission, also known as the Vincentians or Lazarites. He lived at the their motherhouse in Paris until in 1838. It was at that time that he met Father John Timon
, the visitor general of the Vincentians in the United States. At Timon's invitation, Domenec joined the American mission, arriving at St. Mary's of the Barrens, a seminary in Missouri. By 1838, young Domenec had become fluent in English, and acquired some reputation as an orator. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 30, 1839.
and later of St. Vincent de Paul in Germantown
. When Pittsburgh's Bishop O'Connor
resigned his episcopal office in 1860, Father Domenec was recommended as his successor. When he was consecrated in Saint Paul's Cathedral
on December 9, 1860, the new Bishop Domenec found the diocese in good order: "well-supplied with priests and churches, and finely equipped institutions". However, even though Domenec was opposed to debt, he was unable to deal successfully with financial involvements—the panic of 1873
was a fiscal disaster for the Pittsburgh diocese. In the period after the American Civil War, when debts should have been paid off instead of more incurred, improvements upon the cathedral and the building of churches, convents, and schools had rolled up heavy obligations which the diocese could no longer meet.
of Altoona was appointed the bishop of Pittsburgh. This division was an unpopular decision in the diocese of Pittsburgh, as it greatly complicated the financial situation by leaving the institutions most heavily in debt to the Pittsburgh diocese. When it became clear that no satisfactory arrangement could be made from across the Atlantic, Bishop Domenec traveled to Rome in 1877 to represent his own side of the question. Upon the judgment of the Holy See, the diocese of Allegheny was reunited to that of Pittsburgh, and Bishop Domenec resigned, leaving Bishop Tuigg both the Bishop of Pittsburgh and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Allegheny. The see of Allegheny was finally suppressed in 1889.
Thus Bishop Domenec was left a bishop without a diocese; it was rumored at the time that he had been offered an influential position in the American Church. Having argued his cause in Rome, Domenec went to Barcelona
in the fall of 1877. He made a tour of preaching in the churches of that city, and attracted large crowds. He became very ill with pneumonia at Tarragona, however, and died there on January 7, 1878.
Bishop Domenec had visited Rome several times—he was present at the invitation of Pius IX
at the canonization of the Japanese martyrs in 1862, and was a Council Father the First Vatican Council
. He is buried in the Cathedral of Tarragona
.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, C.M. (December 27, 1816 – January 7, 1878) was the second Roman Catholic
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...
bishop
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....
of the diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
, and the only bishop of the short-lived Diocese of Allegheny
Allegheny (titular see)
The Diocese of Allegheny is a titular see in the Roman Catholic Church. The first titular bishop was appointed to this see on 29 October 1971. In Latin, the see is known as Dioecesis Alleghenensis. The see was created from the Diocese of Pittsburgh on 11 January 1876, and Bishop Michael Domenec...
.
Background
Domenec was born in the city of ReusReus
Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague...
, near Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, Spain, to a wealthy family of high social standing. At the age of fifteen, his family left Spain for political reasons. They moved to France, where Domenec studied at the College of Montolieu
Montolieu
Montolieu is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.Sometimes referred to as "Village of Books", Montolieu contains dozens of bookshops and a book market on the third Sunday of every month. It also contains a substantial cactus garden, the Cactuseraie...
in Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
, where he joined the Congregation of the Mission, also known as the Vincentians or Lazarites. He lived at the their motherhouse in Paris until in 1838. It was at that time that he met Father John Timon
John Timon
Most Rev. John Timon, C.M. was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Buffalo, New York.Born in Conewago, Pennsylvania, he grew up in Baltimore, Maryland working for the family dry goods business there and in Louisville, Kentucky after the family moved west in 1818. They relocated a year later to St....
, the visitor general of the Vincentians in the United States. At Timon's invitation, Domenec joined the American mission, arriving at St. Mary's of the Barrens, a seminary in Missouri. By 1838, young Domenec had become fluent in English, and acquired some reputation as an orator. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 30, 1839.
Missionary bishop to Pittsburgh
In 1845, Domenec was sent to Philadelphia to take charge of St. Vincent's Seminary. He was first made pastor of St. Stephen's church in NicetownNicetown-Tioga, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nicetown-Tioga is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of the city of Philadelphia, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It comprises two smaller, older neighborhoods, Nicetown and Tioga, although the distinction between the two is rarely emphasized today...
and later of St. Vincent de Paul in Germantown
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
. When Pittsburgh's Bishop O'Connor
Michael O'Connor (bishop)
Michael O'Connor, S.J. was an Irish-born clergyman of Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Pittsburgh and Bishop of Erie .-Early life and education:...
resigned his episcopal office in 1860, Father Domenec was recommended as his successor. When he was consecrated in Saint Paul's Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
on December 9, 1860, the new Bishop Domenec found the diocese in good order: "well-supplied with priests and churches, and finely equipped institutions". However, even though Domenec was opposed to debt, he was unable to deal successfully with financial involvements—the panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
was a fiscal disaster for the Pittsburgh diocese. In the period after the American Civil War, when debts should have been paid off instead of more incurred, improvements upon the cathedral and the building of churches, convents, and schools had rolled up heavy obligations which the diocese could no longer meet.
Ordinary of the See of Allegheny
The Diocese of Pittsburgh had increased to such an extent that in 1875, it was deemed appropriate by the Holy See to erect another diocese to support the Catholic population. Bishop Domenec was transferred to the newly-created Diocese of Allegheny, and Father TuiggJohn Tuigg
John Tuigg was the third Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
of Altoona was appointed the bishop of Pittsburgh. This division was an unpopular decision in the diocese of Pittsburgh, as it greatly complicated the financial situation by leaving the institutions most heavily in debt to the Pittsburgh diocese. When it became clear that no satisfactory arrangement could be made from across the Atlantic, Bishop Domenec traveled to Rome in 1877 to represent his own side of the question. Upon the judgment of the Holy See, the diocese of Allegheny was reunited to that of Pittsburgh, and Bishop Domenec resigned, leaving Bishop Tuigg both the Bishop of Pittsburgh and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Allegheny. The see of Allegheny was finally suppressed in 1889.
Thus Bishop Domenec was left a bishop without a diocese; it was rumored at the time that he had been offered an influential position in the American Church. Having argued his cause in Rome, Domenec went to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in the fall of 1877. He made a tour of preaching in the churches of that city, and attracted large crowds. He became very ill with pneumonia at Tarragona, however, and died there on January 7, 1878.
Bishop Domenec had visited Rome several times—he was present at the invitation of Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
at the canonization of the Japanese martyrs in 1862, and was a Council Father the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
. He is buried in the Cathedral of Tarragona
Archdiocese of Tarragona
The Archdiocese of Tarragona is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory located in north-eastern Spain, in the province of Tarragona, part of the autonomous community of Catalonia...
.