William O'Hara

William O'Hara (April 14, 1816 – February 3, 1899) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania (1868–1899). O'Hara is credited as the founder of St. Thomas College, which is now known as the University of Scranton.

Right Rev. William O'Hara
Bishop of Scranton

Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Scranton
In office	July 12, 1868—February 3, 1899
Predecessor	New creation
Successor	Michael John Hoban
Orders
Ordination	December 21, 1842
Consecration	July 12, 1868
Personal details
Born	(1816-04-14)April 14, 1816 Dungiven, County Londonderry, Ireland
Died	February 3, 1899(1899-02-03) (aged 82) Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States

Early life

O'Hara was born in Dungiven, County Londonderry, he came with his parents to the United States in 1820, settling at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

Education

After attending Georgetown College in 1832, he was sent by Bishop Francis Kenrick to study at the College of the Propaganda in Rome.[2] He there earned his Doctor of Divinity degree with the highest honors.[2] While in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Giacomo Filippo Fransoni on December 21, 1842.[3]

Service

O'Hara, following his return to Pennsylvania, was named a curate at St. Patrick's Church in Philadelphia.[4] He then served as rector and professor of moral theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.[4] He became pastor of St. Patrick's Church in 1856, and vicar general of the Diocese of Philadelphia in 1860.[1]

Bishop

On March 3, 1868, O'Hara was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Scranton by Pope Pius IX.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 12 from Bishop James Frederick Wood, with Bishops William Henry Elder and Patrick N. Lynch serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul.[3] At the time of O'Hara's arrival in Scranton the following September, there were only 24 priests and parishes.[5] By the time of his death 30 years later, there were 152 priests, 100 parishes, and 32 parochial schools.[5] He also founded St. Thomas College (later University of Scranton), an orphanage, and a hospital.[5]

Death

O'Hara died after a long illness in Scranton, aged 82.[2] He is buried under the main altar of St. Peter's Cathedral.[4]

References

O'Donnell, John Hugh (1922). "The Catholic Hierarchy of the United States, 1790-1922". The Catholic University of America Studies in American Church History. Washington, D.C. IV.
"BISHOP O'HARA DEAD". The New York Times. 1899-02-04.
"Bishop William O'Hara". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
Brennan, Andrew (1912). "Catholic Encyclopedia". XIII. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Cite journal requires |journal= (help); |contribution= ignored (help)
"Bishop William O'Hara: 1868-1899". Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton.

Catholic Church titles
New creation	Bishop of Scranton 1868-1899	Succeeded by Michael John Hoban

Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton
Bishops	Ordinaries William O'Hara Michael John Hoban Thomas Charles O'Reilly William Joseph Hafey Jerome Daniel Hannan Joseph Carroll McCormick John Joseph O'Connor James Clifford Timlin Joseph Francis Martino Joseph Charles Bambera Auxiliary Bishops Andrew James Louis Brennan Martin John O'Connor Henry Theophilus Klonowski James Clifford Timlin Francis X. DiLorenzo John M. Dougherty Diocesan priests who became bishops Joseph R. Kopacz
Churches	Cathedral St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton Basilica Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann, Scranton Parishes St. Gabriel's Catholic Parish Complex, Hazleton St. Maria Goretti Church, Laflin Parishes, former St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Wilkes-Barre
Education	Higher education King's College Marywood University Misericordia University University of Scranton High schools Holy Cross High School, Dunmore Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre Notre Dame High School, East Stroudsburg Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School, Williamsport High schools, closed South Scranton Catholic High School
Miscellany	St. Stanislaus Institute, Newport Township
Catholicism portal

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Ordinaries	Bishops Michael Francis Egan Henry Conwell Francis Kenrick John Neumann Archbishops James Frederick Wood Patrick John Ryan Edmond Francis Prendergast Dennis Joseph Dougherty John Francis O'Hara John Krol Anthony Bevilacqua Justin Rigali Charles J. Chaput Nelson J. Perez Auxiliary Bishops, current Edward Michael Deliman Michael J. Fitzgerald John J. McIntyre Timothy C. Senior Auxiliary Bishops, former Cletus Joseph Benjamin Michael Francis Burbidge Joseph R. Cistone Michael Joseph Crane Edward Peter Cullen Louis A. DeSimone Francis James Furey John Joseph Graham Edward Hughes Hugh L. Lamb Martin Nicholas Lohmuller Robert P. Maginnis Joseph Francis Martino Joseph Carroll McCormick John Joseph McCort Gerald Vincent McDevitt Joseph P. McFadden Joseph Mark McShea Gerald O'Hara Francis B. Schulte Daniel Edward Thomas Thomas Jerome Welsh
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul Parish churches List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia Immaculate Conception Old St. Joseph Old St. Mary St. Adalbert St. Agatha and St. James St. Anne St. Augustine St. Basil the Great St. Cyprian St. Donato St. Francis de Sales St. Joachim St. Michael St. Nicholas of Tolentine St. William Chapels and shrines Church of the Gesú National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa National Shrine of St. John Neumann
Education	Seminary St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Higher education Cabrini College Chestnut Hill College Gwynedd Mercy University Holy Family University Immaculata University La Salle University Neumann University Rosemont College Saint Joseph's University Villanova University High schools Acad. of Notre Dame de Namur Archbishop John Carroll Archbishop Prendergast Archbishop Ryan Archbishop Wood Bishop McDevitt Bishop Shanahan Cardinal O'Hara Conwell-Egan Country Day School of the Sacred Heart Devon Prep Father Judge Gwynedd Mercy Academy Holy Ghost Prep John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls La Salle College HS Lansdale Catholic Little Flower Malvern Prep Mercy Career & Technical Merion Mercy Acad. Monsignor Bonner Mount Saint Joseph Acad. Nazareth Acad. Pope John Paul II Roman Catholic HS for Boys Saint Basil Acad. Saint Joseph's Prep Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti St. Hubert Catholic HS for Girls Villa Joseph Marie Villa Maria Acad.
Priests	Living Edward Joseph Adams Herbert Bevard Michael J. Bransfield Joseph L. Coffey Joseph Anthony Galante James Green Joseph A. Pepe Nelson J. Perez Deceased Francis Brennan Edwin Byrne George Aloysius Carrell Hubert James Cartwright Joseph M. Corrigan Joseph Thomas Daley Edmond John Fitzmaurice John Edmund Fitzmaurice John Patrick Foley Francis Xavier Gartland Daniel James Gercke Michael Hurley Ignatius Frederick Horstmann John Hughes Francis Edward Hyland Thomas Francis Kennedy Philip R. McDevitt Thomas Joseph McDonough Thomas McGovern Eugene J. McGuinness William Matthews John Joseph O'Connor William O'Hara Jeremiah F. Shanahan John W. Shanahan David B. Thompson Francis X. DiLorenzo
Miscellany	Archdiocesan Boy Choir Frances Xavier Cabrini Catholic League The Catholic Standard & Times Katharine Drexel Sexual abuse scandal
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