William Patrick O'Connor

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

William Patrick O'Connor
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; William Patrick O'Connor
Bishop of Madison
See	Diocese of Madison
Appointed	February 22, 1946
Installed	March 12, 1946
Term ended	February 18, 1967
Successor	Cletus F. O'Donnell
Orders
Ordination	March 10, 1912; by Joseph Maria Koudelka
Consecration	March 7, 1942; by Moses E. Kiley, Aloisius Joseph Muench, and Vincent James Ryan
Personal details
Born	October 18, 1886; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Died	July 13, 1973 (aged 86); Madison, Wisconsin, US
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Superior; (1942–1946)
Education	St. Francis Seminary; Marquette University; Catholic University of America

William Patrick O'Connor (October 18, 1886 – July 13, 1973) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin (1942–1946) and the first bishop of the new Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin (1946–1967).

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

William O'Connor was born on October 18, 1886, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of five children of Patrick and Ellen (née McCarthy) O'Connor.^[1] He received his early education at St. John Cathedral grade school in Milwaukee, and then entered St. Francis Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin in 1901.

Priesthood[edit]

O'Connor was ordained to the priesthood on March 10, 1912, by Bishop Joseph Koudelka.^[2] His first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Milwaukee, where he remained for four years.^[3] During this time, he also studied at Marquette University and earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1916. O'Connor then entered the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., but his studies were interrupted by World War I.

In 1917, O'Connor was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Wisconsin National Guard and served as a chaplain with the 32nd Infantry Division in France^[3] He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre medal for bravery in action.^[4]

After the war, O'Connor resumed his studies at Catholic University and earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1921.^[4] He returned to Milwaukee, where he taught philosophy at St. Francis Seminary for 20 years. He was named president of the American Catholic Philosophical Association in 1939, and became pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Milwaukee in 1941.^[1]

Bishop of Superior[edit]

On December 27, 1941, O'Connor was appointed the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Superior by Pope Pius XII.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on March 7, 1942, from Archbishop Moses E. Kiley, with Bishops Aloisius Muench and Vincent Ryan serving as co-consecrators.^[2]

During his tenure as bishop, O'Connor founded three new parishes, opened two new schools, and erected ten units of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine with a total enrollment of 12,000 children.^[3] A former military chaplain, he also oversaw the diocese's war efforts during World War II, including local blood drives.^[3]

Bishop of Madison[edit]

O'Connor was appointed by Pius XII as the first bishop of the newly-created Diocese of Madison on February 22, 1946.^[2] O'Connor was installed at Saint Raphael's Cathedral on the following March 12.^[4]

During his tenure, the diocese went from having 135 priests serving 82,000 Catholics to having 290 priests serving a Catholic population of 180,640.^[5] In his first year as bishop, O'Connor established the Blessed Martin Guild to promote racial understanding and convert more minorities to Catholicism.^[6] He also founded Holy Name Seminary in Madison in 1965, and participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). As part of the Council's reforms, he established a diocesan Priest Senate in 1966.^[7]

Retirement and legacy[edit]

On February 18, 1967, Pope Paul VI accepted O'Connor's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Madison after 21 years of service.^[2] William O'Connor died of a heart attack in Madison on July 13, 1973, at age 86.^[4]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Curtis, Georgina Pell (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. VII. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Bishop William Patrick O'Connor". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Bishop O'Connor (1942-1946)". Diocese of Superior.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Bishop O'Connor: 'A Rare Talent'". Wisconsin State Journal. July 19, 1973. p. 4. Retrieved October 20, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "A look back: Diocese of Madison experiences growth under Bishop O'Connor". Catholic Herald.
^ "A timeline of key events in the Diocese of Madison's 75-year history". Catholic Herald.
^ "Second Vatican Council had a profound impact on Bishop O'Donnell". Catholic Herald.

External links[edit]

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison Archived November 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by None	Bishop of Madison 1946–1967	Succeeded by Cletus F. O'Donnell
Preceded by Theodore H. Reverman	Bishop of Superior 1942–1946	Succeeded by Albert Gregory Meyer

[curtis-1] Curtis, Georgina Pell (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. VII. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.

[hierarchy-2] "Bishop William Patrick O'Connor". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.

[superior-3] "Bishop O'Connor (1942-1946)". Diocese of Superior.

[obit-4] "Bishop O'Connor: 'A Rare Talent'". Wisconsin State Journal. July 19, 1973. p. 4. Retrieved October 20, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.

[madison-5] "A look back: Diocese of Madison experiences growth under Bishop O'Connor". Catholic Herald.

[timeline-6] "A timeline of key events in the Diocese of Madison's 75-year history". Catholic Herald.

[council-7] "Second Vatican Council had a profound impact on Bishop O'Donnell". Catholic Herald.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison
Bishops	Ordinaries William Patrick O'Connor Cletus F. O'Donnell William Henry Bullock Robert C. Morlino Donald J. Hying Auxiliaries Jerome J. Hastrich George Otto Wirz
Churches	Cathedral St. Raphael's Cathedral Parishes St. Peter's Church, Ashton Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Beloit St. Patrick's Church, Benton St. Bernard's Church, Madison St. Patrick's Church, Madison St. Bernard's Church, Watertown Historic Our Lady of Loretto Church, Honey Creek St. Augustine Church, New Diggings St. Joseph's Church, Shields St. Wenceslaus Church, Waterloo
Education	Higher education Edgewood College High schools Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart, Madison St. Ambrose Academy, Madison
Priests	Paul J. Swain
Cemeteries	Mount Olivet Cemetery, Janesville
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior
Bishops	Augustine Francis Schinner Joseph Maria Koudelka Joseph G. Pinten Theodore H. Reverman William Patrick O'Connor Albert Gregory Meyer Joseph John Annabring George Albert Hammes Raphael Michael Fliss Peter F. Christensen James Patrick Powers
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the King Former Saint Ann's Church, Greenwood St. Francis of Assisi Mission Church, Ladysmith
Priests	Philip B. Gordon
Media	Official publication The Superior Catholic Herald Catholic radio WWEN-Superior/Duluth (88.1 FM) WWMD-Ashland (95.3 FM)
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Archbishops	John Henni Michael Heiss Frederick Katzer Sebastian Gebhard Messmer Samuel Stritch Moses E. Kiley Albert Gregory Meyer William Edward Cousins Rembert Weakland Timothy M. Dolan Jerome Edward Listecki
Auxiliary bishops	Joseph Maria Koudelka Edward Kozłowski Roman Richard Atkielski Leo Joseph Brust Richard J. Sklba William P. Callahan Donald J. Hying Jeffrey Robert Haines James Thomas Schuerman
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Cathedral Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Basilicas Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, Hubertus Parishes St. John Vianney Church, Brookfield St. John the Baptist Church, Johnsburg Gesu Church, Milwaukee Holy Trinity Church, Milwaukee Old St. Mary's Church, Milwaukee St. Adalbert's Church, Milwaukee St. Hedwig's Church, Milwaukee St. Stanislaus Church, Milwaukee St. Patrick's Church, Milwaukee Saints Peter and Paul Church, Milwaukee St. Vincent de Paul Church, Milwaukee St. Mary's Church, Port Washington St. Patrick's Church, Racine St. Joseph's Church, Waukesha Former St. John of God Church, Kewaskum St. Patrick's Church, Adell St. Augustine Church, Trenton Chapel St. Joan of Arc Chapel, Milwaukee Shrine Archdiocesan Marian Shrine
Education	Higher education Alverno College Marian University Marquette University Mount Mary University Seminaries Saint Francis de Sales Seminary Sacred Heart School of Theology High schools Burlington Catholic Central High School, Burlington Catholic Memorial High School, Waukesha Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Milwaukee Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Milwaukee Dominican High School, Whitefish Bay Marquette University High School, Milwaukee Messmer High School, Milwaukee Pius XI High School, Milwaukee St. Anthony High School, Milwaukee St. Catherine's High School, Racine St. Joan Antida High School, Milwaukee St. Joseph Catholic Academy, Kenosha (previously as St. Joseph High School) St. Lawrence Seminary High School, Mt. Calvary St. Mary's Springs Academy, Fond du Lac St. Thomas More High School, Milwaukee Former Cardinal Stritch University St. John's School for the Deaf
Priests	Peter Abbelen Dismas Becker Fabian Bruskewitz Jan Romuald Byzewski Kilian Caspar Flasch Raphael Michael Fliss Augustus F. Gearhard Boleslaus Goral James Groppi Hyacinth (Jacek) Gulski Francis J. Haas Jerome J. Hastrich James Michael Harvey Wacław Kruszka David John Malloy Aloisius Joseph Muench William Patrick O'Connor Joseph Perry Augustine Francis Schinner Charles Asa Schleck Paul Francis Tanner
Cemeteries	Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee Mount Olivet Cemetery, Milwaukee
Miscellany	Saint Dismas Prison Ministry
Catholicism portal

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	United States Vatican
Other	SNAC IdRef