He was ordained a priest Bishop Thomas Becker of Savannah, December 17, 1881. In 1881 he returned to Boston where he was appointed parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. He subsequently was assigned to pastoral work in Framingham and a chaplaincy at the state reformatory in Sherborn.
Returning to Mount St. Mary's in 1884, he was appointed it vice president, being chosen as president in June 1885. He remained president of Mount St. Mary's until he was appointed fifth Bishop of Mobile on April 19, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. He was ordained a bishop on May 16, 1897 in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Baltimore by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore assisted by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald of Little Rock and Bishop Matthew Harkins of Providence. In 1889 Georgetown University conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Under Bishop Allen's care, the Catholic population of the Diocese of Mobile more than doubled as did the number of priests. He obtained the services of the Josephite Order to minster to the African Americans. He founded new parishes, schools, and charitable institutions. He oversaw the rebuilding of churches which were destroyed or damaged during the September 1906 hurricane which devastated Mobile.
He was ordained a priest Bishop Thomas Becker of Savannah, December 17, 1881. In 1881 he returned to Boston where he was appointed parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. He subsequently was assigned to pastoral work in Framingham and a chaplaincy at the state reformatory in Sherborn.
Returning to Mount St. Mary's in 1884, he was appointed it vice president, being chosen as president in June 1885. He remained president of Mount St. Mary's until he was appointed fifth Bishop of Mobile on April 19, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. He was ordained a bishop on May 16, 1897 in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Baltimore by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore assisted by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald of Little Rock and Bishop Matthew Harkins of Providence. In 1889 Georgetown University conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Under Bishop Allen's care, the Catholic population of the Diocese of Mobile more than doubled as did the number of priests. He obtained the services of the Josephite Order to minster to the African Americans. He founded new parishes, schools, and charitable institutions. He oversaw the rebuilding of churches which were destroyed or damaged during the September 1906 hurricane which devastated Mobile.
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