Patrick Doughtery (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Patrick Dougherty DD
(21 November 1931 in Kensington
, New South Wales
30 August 2010 in Bathurst
, New South Wales), an Australian suffragan bishop
, was the seventh Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst
, serving for 25 years from 1983 until his retirement in 2008.
, before completing his secondary education at St Columba's College in Springwood in 1948. He commenced studying for the priesthood, and in 1950 progressed to St Patrick's Seminary, Manly and then Propaganda College, Rome
where he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Pietro Sigismondi on 7 December 1954.
In 1957 Dougherty obtained his Doctorate of Divinity in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Urban University
in Rome, and immediately returned to Australia and was appointed Assistant Priest of St. Mel's in Campsie
. At the request of Cardinal Gilroy, Dougherty travelled to Rome in 1958 and began to research the life of the Venerable
Mother Mary Potter
, foundress of The Little Company of Mary
. Between 1959 and 1961, Dougherty was a lecturer in Logic, History of Philosophy, Latin and Italian at St Columba's Seminary in Springwood where he was also a Dean of Students and in 1961 Director of the Spiritual Year for first year students. In early 1962, Dougherty returned to Rome as an Assistant Vice Rector of his alma mater
, Propaganda College, and by 1967 was appointed a Vice Rector of the College. His book, Mother Mary Potter, foundress of the Little Company of Mary was published in 1963.
Dougherty returned to Australia in August 1970 to take up appointment to the newly established Secretariat of the Australian Episcopal Conference
in Canberra. On 15 October 1976, Dougherty was elected as an Auxiliary Bishop
of the Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese
and Titular Bishop
of Lete, Mygdonia, a Roman Catholic titular see
in the Roman province of Macedonia
. Reverend Father Patrick Dougherty was consecrated
as a bishop by Archbishop Thomas Cahill on 8 December 1976 in St Christopher's Cathedral, Canberra.
.
In 2009, Dougherty, together with George Cardinal Pell and Bishop Emeritus of Sale, Jeremiah Coffey, consecrated Michael McKenna
as Bishop of Bathurst.
Dougherty resided in Bathurst until his death at St Catherine's Aged Care facility on 30 August 2010 following a short battle with lung cancer. The Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated by twenty bishops, including Bishop McKenna, Cardinal Pell, and the Papal Nuncio to Australia
, Archbishop Lazzarotto
, and more than sixty priests. During the numerous eulogies at the mass, it was reported that Dougherty was considered a "...very humble and deeply spiritual man whose witness and example were a source of inspiration for all in the diocese of Bathurst". He was "...undoubtedly good, considerate and compassionate. He was a very kind man."
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....
(21 November 1931 in Kensington
Kensington, New South Wales
Kensington is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kensington is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Randwick, in the Eastern Suburbs region...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
30 August 2010 in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, New South Wales), an Australian suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
, was the seventh Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst is a Latin rite suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Sydney, established in 1865, covering the Central West and Orana regions of New South Wales, Australia...
, serving for 25 years from 1983 until his retirement in 2008.
Early years and background
The second of four sons (three of whom became priests) born to William and Madge Dougherty, Dougherty was educated at Our Lady of the Rosary school, Kensington and Waverley CollegeWaverley College
Waverley College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for boys, located at Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, before completing his secondary education at St Columba's College in Springwood in 1948. He commenced studying for the priesthood, and in 1950 progressed to St Patrick's Seminary, Manly and then Propaganda College, Rome
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
where he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Pietro Sigismondi on 7 December 1954.
In 1957 Dougherty obtained his Doctorate of Divinity in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Urban University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
in Rome, and immediately returned to Australia and was appointed Assistant Priest of St. Mel's in Campsie
Campsie, New South Wales
Campsie is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campsie is located 13 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, on the southern bank of the Cooks River. Campsie is the commercial and administrative centre of the City of...
. At the request of Cardinal Gilroy, Dougherty travelled to Rome in 1958 and began to research the life of the Venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
Mother Mary Potter
Mary Potter
Venerable Mary Potter was the foundress of the "Little Company of Mary Sisters" in 1877.She has a Nottingham Tram named after her for this reason, this was done after she was nominated in a BBC poll...
, foundress of The Little Company of Mary
Sisters of the Little Company of Mary
The Little Company of Mary is a Roman Catholic religious institute of women dedicated to caring for the suffering, the sick and the dying. The order was founded in 1877 England by Venerable Mary Potter....
. Between 1959 and 1961, Dougherty was a lecturer in Logic, History of Philosophy, Latin and Italian at St Columba's Seminary in Springwood where he was also a Dean of Students and in 1961 Director of the Spiritual Year for first year students. In early 1962, Dougherty returned to Rome as an Assistant Vice Rector of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Propaganda College, and by 1967 was appointed a Vice Rector of the College. His book, Mother Mary Potter, foundress of the Little Company of Mary was published in 1963.
Dougherty returned to Australia in August 1970 to take up appointment to the newly established Secretariat of the Australian Episcopal Conference
Episcopal Conference
In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the bishops of a given territory...
in Canberra. On 15 October 1976, Dougherty was elected as an 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 the Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of CanberraGoulburn is a Latin rite archdiocese located in the Australian Capital Territory and the South West Slopes, Southern Tablelands, Monaro and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia...
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 Lete, Mygdonia, a Roman Catholic titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
in the Roman province of Macedonia
Macedonia (Roman province)
The Roman province of Macedonia was officially established in 146 BC, after the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus defeated Andriscus of Macedon, the last Ancient King of Macedon in 148 BC, and after the four client republics established by Rome in the region were dissolved...
. Reverend Father Patrick Dougherty was consecrated
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...
as a bishop by Archbishop Thomas Cahill on 8 December 1976 in St Christopher's Cathedral, Canberra.
Roman Catholic Bishop of Bathurst
In 1983 Bishop Dougherty was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst and was installed on 5 October 1983. After 25 years in office, he retired on 11 November 2008 and was elevated to the title of Bishop Emeritus of Bathurst. In a very unusual move by Dougherty, on the day before his retirement was announced, he issued a statement denouncing a booklet written by a priest of his diocese. The openly heretical booklet entitled God is Big. Real Big! by Father Peter Dresser, apparently denied the divinity of Jesus ChristCatholic Concept of the Divine
Catholic Concept of the Divine is the Catholic Church definition of divine, as published in The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. II. This content is in the public domain....
.
In 2009, Dougherty, together with George Cardinal Pell and Bishop Emeritus of Sale, Jeremiah Coffey, consecrated Michael McKenna
Michael McKenna (bishop)
Michael Joseph McKenna DD , an Australian suffragan bishop, is the eighth Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst, appointed in 2009.-Early years and background:...
as Bishop of Bathurst.
Dougherty resided in Bathurst until his death at St Catherine's Aged Care facility on 30 August 2010 following a short battle with lung cancer. The Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated by twenty bishops, including Bishop McKenna, Cardinal Pell, and the Papal Nuncio to Australia
Apostolic Nunciature to Australia
The Nunciature to Australia is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Australia. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia with the rank of an ambassador...
, Archbishop Lazzarotto
Giuseppe Lazzarotto
Giuseppe Lazzarotto JCD was born in Carpanè, Italy on 24 May 1942. He studied for the priesthood in the Diocese of Padua, being ordained a priest on 1 April 1967. He undertook post-graduate studies in diplomacy at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, while at the same time completing his...
, and more than sixty priests. During the numerous eulogies at the mass, it was reported that Dougherty was considered a "...very humble and deeply spiritual man whose witness and example were a source of inspiration for all in the diocese of Bathurst". He was "...undoubtedly good, considerate and compassionate. He was a very kind man."
External links
- Homily for the Funeral of the late Bishop Patrick Dougherty delivered by his successor, Bishop McKenna, in the Cathedral of St Michael and St John, Bathurst on 8 September 2010