Michael J. O'Connor was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome on June 1, 1833.
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In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI created the Diocese of Pittsburgh; he appointed Bishop Michael J. O'Connor, pastor of St. Paul's Church,the largest church in the Pittsburgh area. He was a very well educated person who had defended his doctoral dissertation in Rome before the Pope. He was an Irish immigrant who became vicar-general of the Philadelphia Diocese which covered the entire state of Pennsylvania. He also served as the rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia before he was appointed the Bishop of Pittsburgh.
When he came to Pittsburgh it fell to him now to give some organizational order, strength, and stability to this Church. Bishop O'Connor entrusted the formation of his priests to the Benedictines at Latrobe, but he asked for the Passionist Priests from Germany to come so that they could bring their spirituality and their pastoral skill. The first foundation of the Passionist Priests in the entire United States was in Pittsburgh at St. Michael's; they stayed and ministered for many years until they no longer had sufficient priests to care for it. Bishop O'Connor's tenure saw growth for the Church. When he visited in Ireland he met with Mother Catherine McCauley in Carlow of the Sisters of Mercy, pleaded for some sisters, to come to Pittsburgh; they did. They arrived and began two very challenging tasks: education and health care. A heavy anti-Catholic climate existed.
The sisters changed this by the care they gave, particularly to the sick. The very first hospital established in Pittsburgh was Mercy Hospital. The Mercy sisters joined the Sisters of Charity already in the Diocese in teaching young people. In 1851 the Diocese lost St. Paul's Cathedral in a fire. The Diocese built a new Cathedral, the second St. Paul's, which was dedicated in 1855; it stands in the center of Pittsburgh as a testimony to the growing number of Catholics in the Diocese. Growth was not only taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania, but in the whole western Pennsylvania. Subsequently, because of the large territory to which he ministered, he petitioned Archbishop Kenrick in Baltimore to create a new diocese in the northwestern section of the diocese of Pittsburgh. His request became a reality when the Diocese of Erie was established and O'Connor became its first bishop.Bishop O'Connor was transferred to establish the Church in the new Diocese of Eire. The Diocese of Erie was officially established on July 29, 1853 and included the thirteen counties of northwestern Pennsylvania. The new Diocese was carved out of the Diocese of Pittsburgh founded in 1843 with its first Bishop the Most Rev. Michael O'Connor. He later returned to Pittsburgh preferring to stay there and a second bishop was appointed to Erie. It was shortly after this that Bishop O'Connor asked for permission to resign so that he could do what he wanted to do, study and teach. He He became a Jesuit and spent the rest of his life studying and teaching.
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Priest, 1833-1843.
First Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburgh, 1843-1853.
First Bishop, Diocese of Eire, 1853.
Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburg, 1854-1860.
Bishop Emeritus of Pittsburgh, 1860-1872.
Priest, Society of Jesus, 1860-1872.
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at Loyola College in the 1870 census
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Former Diocesan Bishops
Right Reverend Michael J. O'Connor, D.D.
Born September 27, 1810 at Cobb, Ireland; ordained June 1, 1833; appointed first Bishop of Pittsburgh August 11, 1843; consecrated August 15, 1843; transferred to first Bishop of Erie July 29, 1853; transferred to Pittsburgh December 20, 1853; resigned May 23, 1860; entered the Society of Jesus December 22, 1860; died October 18, 1872 at Woodstock, Maryland; buried in Jesuit cemetery at Woodstock, Maryland.
~
In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI created the Diocese of Pittsburgh; he appointed Bishop Michael J. O'Connor, pastor of St. Paul's Church,the largest church in the Pittsburgh area. He was a very well educated person who had defended his doctoral dissertation in Rome before the Pope. He was an Irish immigrant who became vicar-general of the Philadelphia Diocese which covered the entire state of Pennsylvania. He also served as the rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia before he was appointed the Bishop of Pittsburgh.
When he came to Pittsburgh it fell to him now to give some organizational order, strength, and stability to this Church. Bishop O'Connor entrusted the formation of his priests to the Benedictines at Latrobe, but he asked for the Passionist Priests from Germany to come so that they could bring their spirituality and their pastoral skill. The first foundation of the Passionist Priests in the entire United States was in Pittsburgh at St. Michael's; they stayed and ministered for many years until they no longer had sufficient priests to care for it. Bishop O'Connor's tenure saw growth for the Church. When he visited in Ireland he met with Mother Catherine McCauley in Carlow of the Sisters of Mercy, pleaded for some sisters, to come to Pittsburgh; they did. They arrived and began two very challenging tasks: education and health care. A heavy anti-Catholic climate existed.
The sisters changed this by the care they gave, particularly to the sick. The very first hospital established in Pittsburgh was Mercy Hospital. The Mercy sisters joined the Sisters of Charity already in the Diocese in teaching young people. In 1851 the Diocese lost St. Paul's Cathedral in a fire. The Diocese built a new Cathedral, the second St. Paul's, which was dedicated in 1855; it stands in the center of Pittsburgh as a testimony to the growing number of Catholics in the Diocese. Growth was not only taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania, but in the whole western Pennsylvania. Subsequently, because of the large territory to which he ministered, he petitioned Archbishop Kenrick in Baltimore to create a new diocese in the northwestern section of the diocese of Pittsburgh. His request became a reality when the Diocese of Erie was established and O'Connor became its first bishop.Bishop O'Connor was transferred to establish the Church in the new Diocese of Eire. The Diocese of Erie was officially established on July 29, 1853 and included the thirteen counties of northwestern Pennsylvania. The new Diocese was carved out of the Diocese of Pittsburgh founded in 1843 with its first Bishop the Most Rev. Michael O'Connor. He later returned to Pittsburgh preferring to stay there and a second bishop was appointed to Erie. It was shortly after this that Bishop O'Connor asked for permission to resign so that he could do what he wanted to do, study and teach. He He became a Jesuit and spent the rest of his life studying and teaching.
~
Priest, 1833-1843.
First Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburgh, 1843-1853.
First Bishop, Diocese of Eire, 1853.
Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburg, 1854-1860.
Bishop Emeritus of Pittsburgh, 1860-1872.
Priest, Society of Jesus, 1860-1872.
~
at Loyola College in the 1870 census
~
Former Diocesan Bishops
Right Reverend Michael J. O'Connor, D.D.
Born September 27, 1810 at Cobb, Ireland; ordained June 1, 1833; appointed first Bishop of Pittsburgh August 11, 1843; consecrated August 15, 1843; transferred to first Bishop of Erie July 29, 1853; transferred to Pittsburgh December 20, 1853; resigned May 23, 1860; entered the Society of Jesus December 22, 1860; died October 18, 1872 at Woodstock, Maryland; buried in Jesuit cemetery at Woodstock, Maryland.
Michael J. O'Connor was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome on June 1, 1833.
~
In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI created the Diocese of Pittsburgh; he appointed Bishop Michael J. O'Connor, pastor of St. Paul's Church,the largest church in the Pittsburgh area. He was a very well educated person who had defended his doctoral dissertation in Rome before the Pope. He was an Irish immigrant who became vicar-general of the Philadelphia Diocese which covered the entire state of Pennsylvania. He also served as the rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia before he was appointed the Bishop of Pittsburgh.
When he came to Pittsburgh it fell to him now to give some organizational order, strength, and stability to this Church. Bishop O'Connor entrusted the formation of his priests to the Benedictines at Latrobe, but he asked for the Passionist Priests from Germany to come so that they could bring their spirituality and their pastoral skill. The first foundation of the Passionist Priests in the entire United States was in Pittsburgh at St. Michael's; they stayed and ministered for many years until they no longer had sufficient priests to care for it. Bishop O'Connor's tenure saw growth for the Church. When he visited in Ireland he met with Mother Catherine McCauley in Carlow of the Sisters of Mercy, pleaded for some sisters, to come to Pittsburgh; they did. They arrived and began two very challenging tasks: education and health care. A heavy anti-Catholic climate existed.
The sisters changed this by the care they gave, particularly to the sick. The very first hospital established in Pittsburgh was Mercy Hospital. The Mercy sisters joined the Sisters of Charity already in the Diocese in teaching young people. In 1851 the Diocese lost St. Paul's Cathedral in a fire. The Diocese built a new Cathedral, the second St. Paul's, which was dedicated in 1855; it stands in the center of Pittsburgh as a testimony to the growing number of Catholics in the Diocese. Growth was not only taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania, but in the whole western Pennsylvania. Subsequently, because of the large territory to which he ministered, he petitioned Archbishop Kenrick in Baltimore to create a new diocese in the northwestern section of the diocese of Pittsburgh. His request became a reality when the Diocese of Erie was established and O'Connor became its first bishop.Bishop O'Connor was transferred to establish the Church in the new Diocese of Eire. The Diocese of Erie was officially established on July 29, 1853 and included the thirteen counties of northwestern Pennsylvania. The new Diocese was carved out of the Diocese of Pittsburgh founded in 1843 with its first Bishop the Most Rev. Michael O'Connor. He later returned to Pittsburgh preferring to stay there and a second bishop was appointed to Erie. It was shortly after this that Bishop O'Connor asked for permission to resign so that he could do what he wanted to do, study and teach. He He became a Jesuit and spent the rest of his life studying and teaching.
~
Priest, 1833-1843.
First Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburgh, 1843-1853.
First Bishop, Diocese of Eire, 1853.
Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburg, 1854-1860.
Bishop Emeritus of Pittsburgh, 1860-1872.
Priest, Society of Jesus, 1860-1872.
~
at Loyola College in the 1870 census
~
Former Diocesan Bishops
Right Reverend Michael J. O'Connor, D.D.
Born September 27, 1810 at Cobb, Ireland; ordained June 1, 1833; appointed first Bishop of Pittsburgh August 11, 1843; consecrated August 15, 1843; transferred to first Bishop of Erie July 29, 1853; transferred to Pittsburgh December 20, 1853; resigned May 23, 1860; entered the Society of Jesus December 22, 1860; died October 18, 1872 at Woodstock, Maryland; buried in Jesuit cemetery at Woodstock, Maryland.
~
In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI created the Diocese of Pittsburgh; he appointed Bishop Michael J. O'Connor, pastor of St. Paul's Church,the largest church in the Pittsburgh area. He was a very well educated person who had defended his doctoral dissertation in Rome before the Pope. He was an Irish immigrant who became vicar-general of the Philadelphia Diocese which covered the entire state of Pennsylvania. He also served as the rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia before he was appointed the Bishop of Pittsburgh.
When he came to Pittsburgh it fell to him now to give some organizational order, strength, and stability to this Church. Bishop O'Connor entrusted the formation of his priests to the Benedictines at Latrobe, but he asked for the Passionist Priests from Germany to come so that they could bring their spirituality and their pastoral skill. The first foundation of the Passionist Priests in the entire United States was in Pittsburgh at St. Michael's; they stayed and ministered for many years until they no longer had sufficient priests to care for it. Bishop O'Connor's tenure saw growth for the Church. When he visited in Ireland he met with Mother Catherine McCauley in Carlow of the Sisters of Mercy, pleaded for some sisters, to come to Pittsburgh; they did. They arrived and began two very challenging tasks: education and health care. A heavy anti-Catholic climate existed.
The sisters changed this by the care they gave, particularly to the sick. The very first hospital established in Pittsburgh was Mercy Hospital. The Mercy sisters joined the Sisters of Charity already in the Diocese in teaching young people. In 1851 the Diocese lost St. Paul's Cathedral in a fire. The Diocese built a new Cathedral, the second St. Paul's, which was dedicated in 1855; it stands in the center of Pittsburgh as a testimony to the growing number of Catholics in the Diocese. Growth was not only taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania, but in the whole western Pennsylvania. Subsequently, because of the large territory to which he ministered, he petitioned Archbishop Kenrick in Baltimore to create a new diocese in the northwestern section of the diocese of Pittsburgh. His request became a reality when the Diocese of Erie was established and O'Connor became its first bishop.Bishop O'Connor was transferred to establish the Church in the new Diocese of Eire. The Diocese of Erie was officially established on July 29, 1853 and included the thirteen counties of northwestern Pennsylvania. The new Diocese was carved out of the Diocese of Pittsburgh founded in 1843 with its first Bishop the Most Rev. Michael O'Connor. He later returned to Pittsburgh preferring to stay there and a second bishop was appointed to Erie. It was shortly after this that Bishop O'Connor asked for permission to resign so that he could do what he wanted to do, study and teach. He He became a Jesuit and spent the rest of his life studying and teaching.
~
Priest, 1833-1843.
First Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburgh, 1843-1853.
First Bishop, Diocese of Eire, 1853.
Bishop, Diocese of Pittsburg, 1854-1860.
Bishop Emeritus of Pittsburgh, 1860-1872.
Priest, Society of Jesus, 1860-1872.
~
at Loyola College in the 1870 census
~
Former Diocesan Bishops
Right Reverend Michael J. O'Connor, D.D.
Born September 27, 1810 at Cobb, Ireland; ordained June 1, 1833; appointed first Bishop of Pittsburgh August 11, 1843; consecrated August 15, 1843; transferred to first Bishop of Erie July 29, 1853; transferred to Pittsburgh December 20, 1853; resigned May 23, 1860; entered the Society of Jesus December 22, 1860; died October 18, 1872 at Woodstock, Maryland; buried in Jesuit cemetery at Woodstock, Maryland.
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