Sidney Matthew Metzger
Encyclopedia
Sidney Matthew Metzger, STD
, JCD
(July 11, 1902—April 12, 1986) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
who served as Bishop of El Paso
from 1942 to 1978.
, Texas
, Sidney Metzger studied at St. Joseph Seminary in San Antonio
and the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on April 3, 1926. During his studies, he obtained a doctorate in Sacred Theology
and in Canon Law
.
On January 5, 1940, Metzger was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Sante Fe
, New Mexico
, and Titular Bishop
of Birtha by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following April 10 from Archbishop Arthur Drossaerts
, with Archbishop Rudolph Gerken
and Bishop Mariano Garriga
serving as co-consecrators
.
Metzger was named Coadjutor Bishop
of El Paso
, Texas
on December 26, 1941. He later succeeded Anthony Schuler, SJ
, as the third Bishop of El Paso
on November 29, 1942, ending the twenty-seven year-long Jesuit rule of the diocese
. As Bishop, one of Metzger's challenges was to restore diocesan financial
stability whilst creating new parishes
and ministries for the growing Catholic population. He also established St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 1961. From 1962 to 1965, Metzger attended the Second Vatican Council
.
In 1973, the Bishop attacked Farah Manufacturing Company for unfair labor practice
s and asked his fellow clergy
men to urge retailers
to no longer order from Farah, saying, "I feel that the company is acting unjustly in denying to the workers the basic right to collective bargaining
." William Farah, the company's president
, subsequently called Metzger a member of the "rotten old bourgeoisie
" and a man who is "lolling in wealth".
After thirty-five years of service, Metzger resigned as El Paso's bishop
on March 17, 1978. He later died at Hotel Dieu Hospital
, at age 83.
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
, JCD
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
(July 11, 1902—April 12, 1986) was an American
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...
who served as Bishop of El Paso
Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso
The Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in West Texas. Covering , it encompasses the Texas counties of El Paso, Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Presidio, Reeves, Ward and Winkler with approximately 668,000 professing members,...
from 1942 to 1978.
Biography
Born in FredericksburgFredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
, 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...
, Sidney Metzger studied at St. Joseph Seminary in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
in 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....
on April 3, 1926. During his studies, he obtained a doctorate in Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
and in Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
.
On January 5, 1940, Metzger 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 Sante Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 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 Birtha by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal consecration
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....
on the following April 10 from Archbishop Arthur Drossaerts
Arthur Jerome Drossaerts
Arthur Jerome Drossaerts was a Dutch-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of San Antonio from 1918 until his death.-Biography:...
, with Archbishop Rudolph Gerken
Rudolph Gerken
Rudolph Aloysius Gerken was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Santa Fe from 1933 until his death.-Biography:...
and Bishop Mariano Garriga
Mariano Simon Garriga
Mariano Simon Garriga was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Corpus Christi from 1949 until his death in 1965.-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...
.
Metzger was named Coadjutor Bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, 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...
on December 26, 1941. He later succeeded Anthony Schuler, SJ
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, as the third Bishop of El Paso
Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso
The Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in West Texas. Covering , it encompasses the Texas counties of El Paso, Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Presidio, Reeves, Ward and Winkler with approximately 668,000 professing members,...
on November 29, 1942, ending the twenty-seven year-long Jesuit rule of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. As Bishop, one of Metzger's challenges was to restore diocesan financial
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
stability whilst creating 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 ministries for the growing Catholic population. He also established St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 1961. From 1962 to 1965, Metzger attended the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
In 1973, the Bishop attacked Farah Manufacturing Company for unfair labor practice
Unfair labor practice
In United States labor law, the term unfair labor practice refers to certain actions taken by employers or unions that violate the National Labor Relations Act and other legislation...
s and asked his fellow clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
men to urge retailers
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
to no longer order from Farah, saying, "I feel that the company is acting unjustly in denying to the workers the basic right to collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
." William Farah, the company's president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, subsequently called Metzger a member of the "rotten old bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
" and a man who is "lolling in wealth".
After thirty-five years of service, Metzger resigned as El Paso's bishop
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
on March 17, 1978. He later died at Hotel Dieu Hospital
Hotel Dieu Hospital
Hotel Dieu Hospital can refers to several institutions:* Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal* Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston, Ontario...
, at age 83.