Episcopate John Dearden

1 episcopate

1.1 pittsburgh
1.2 detroit

1.2.1 vatican ii
1.2.2 project equality
1.2.3 school closings
1.2.4 nccb/uscc president

1.2.4.1 call action


1.2.5 third synod of bishops
1.2.6 office of cardinal


1.3 later life , death

episcopate
pittsburgh

on march 13, 1948, dearden appointed coadjutor bishop of diocese of pittsburgh in pennsylvania , titular bishop of sarepta pope pius xii. received episcopal consecration on following may 18 archbishop amleto giovanni cicognani, bishops edward francis hoban , floyd lawrence begin serving co-consecrators, @ st. agnes church in cleveland. upon death of bishop hugh charles boyle, dearden succeeded him seventh bishop of pittsburgh on december 22, 1950.

during tenure in pittsburgh, dearden earned nickname iron john stern manner of administration. in 1952, issued new regulations interfaith marriages, allowing marriages between catholics , non-catholics take place in church, insisted actions must not understood mitigating in degree general rule of church opposed in principle such unions. named assistant @ pontifical throne in 1957.

detroit

following death of cardinal edward mooney, dearden appointed second archbishop of detroit, michigan, on december 18, 1958. active in community causes such supporting equal employment opportunities , encouraging diocese work better racial relations in detroit.

vatican ii

dearden attended 4 sessions of second vatican council between 1962 , 1965. played influential role @ council, helping develop key documents lumen gentium , gaudium et spes. during council, became more progressive in views, becoming known favorite of liberals in church. dedicated himself implementing reforms of council, promoting greater participation of laity in diocesan affairs, encouraging formation of priests senate, , ordaining married deacons. when pope paul vi agreed idea raised participants in vatican ii , restored lay deaconate in 1967, dearden first in america utilize pronouncement , augmented declining numbers of regular clergy in diocese ordaining thirteen married laymen deacons in 1971.

dearden drew attention of national media innovative approach new liturgy , teachings. characterized progressive , liberal , condemned wanderer major heretic, 1 of worst catholic church has ever suffered from. new york times speculated in 1979 when pope john paul ii came america, answering invitation speak @ united nations, snubbed dearden not scheduling visit detroit in favor of john cardinal cody of chicago, conservatism pope found more liking. despite liberal outlook, dearden had many theological objections support ordination of women.

project equality

in 1965, dearden partnered cardinal joseph ritter inaugurate project equality, interfaith program requiring businesses pledge policy of non-discrimination in hiring , discharging employees. announced archdiocese give preferential treatment suppliers gave equal opportunity minority groups. member of national catholic welfare council, served treasurer, member of administrative board, , chairman of committee on liturgical apostolate.

school closings

when michigan voters amended state constitution bar tax-payer aid private schools in 1970, dearden ordered parishes in diocese examine finances , determine if schools financial drain due declining enrollment. examining data ordered closing of 56 of 269 schools in 1971. raised outcry affected parishioners vexed head of bishops conference @ time.

nccb/uscc president

from 1966 1971, dearden served first president of national conference of catholic bishops. dearden instrumental in forming national conference of catholic bishops (nccb) , united states catholic conference (uscc) public-policy arm of nccb. dearden worked group had come fame redesigning management of auto industry - booz allen hamilton management-consultant firm. worked design nccb s structures , procedures. ethos resulted gave bureucracy significant power , influence in u.s. catholic affairs. conference’s voice increased, of individual bishops tended decrease.

as head of nccb dearden known unobtrusive liberal emphasis on governing through consensus. during tenure, conference approved several liturgical reforms, including using english eucharistic prayer, authorizing extraordinary ministers of communion, , holding saturday evening masses. following death of cardinal francis spellman, dearden considered candidate become archbishop of new york. in 1971, dearden succeeded president of nccb/uscc john krol of philadelphia, seen leading conservative.

call action

after vatican ii, dearden had been working national pastoral council bring bishops, priests, religious, , lay people examine shared responsibility on civic issues in life of church. had made several exploratory steps towards president of nccb/usccb had been frustrated 1973 letter bishops vatican expressing concern on events in church within america , netherlands ordered plans national councils placed on hold.

with ban in place similar smaller event began planned referred call action conference. years before anniversary of american independence, dearden had been made head of committee nccb prepare catholic response 1976 bicentennial of united states. centerpiece of response liberty , justice project discuss peace , social justice issues.

in effort gather input laity project, hearings across america held designated call action . dearden stated find out how american catholic community can contribute quest of people liberty , justice. such hearings held in atlanta, minneapolis, newark, sacramento, san antonio, , washington, d.c. these proceeded having select group of 500 persons address panels included number of bishops. regional, diocesan, , parish groups given option have meetings on subject , produced 800,000 responses.

the response hearings , meetings reviewed 8 preparatory committees produced working papers , recommendations presented @ call action conference held in detroit convention center. 1,340 delegates attended conference. 152 of these delegates appointed bishops of 167 american dioceses. each of 92 national catholic organizations allowed send single delegate represent them. third of delegates clergy (mostly priest 110 bishops), third women. half of delegates church employees. delegates broke small groups using working papers basis of discussion free make own recommendations nccb/uscc.

in end 29 recommendations made , divided 218 separate items. many of suggestions viewed radical, among them recommendations returning laicized priests ministry, ordination of married men , of women, lay preachers, freedom practice contraception, open attitude toward homosexuality, , reception of communion divorced , remarried catholics. recommendations of social , political nature included ones supporting amnesty vietnam war resisters , undocumented immigrants...[and] recommendation backing proposed equal rights amendment constitution . nccb/uscc received recommendations many bishops unhappy results , regulated committee oversee implementation, shelved them. fruitless outcome of conference ended efforts of dearden work full national pastoral council.

third synod of bishops

in 1971 lead american delegation third synod of bishops (which had been established after vatican ii give continuing counsel papacy). topic of synod social justice , problem of declining numbers of seminarians , priests.

office of cardinal

pope paul vi created him cardinal priest of s. pio x alla balduina in consistory of april 28, 1969. during 1971 synod of bishops in vatican city, dearden suggested sociological , psychological aspects of priesthood investigated. following outbreak of watergate scandal in 1973, dearden issued pastoral letter in remarked, these difficult days country love, , asked catholics observe first 3 fridays in november days of prayer, penance , fasting in light of nation s political turmoil. suffered serious heart attack in april 1977.

he 1 of cardinal electors participated in conclaves of august , october 1978, selected pope john paul , pope john paul ii respectively.

later life , death

three years after suffering heart attack resigned detroit s archbishop on july 15, 1980, after twenty-one years of service. on august 1, 1988, dearden died pancreatic cancer in southfield, michigan, @ age 80 (he still member of roman curia s congregation sacraments @ time). buried in holy sepulchre cemetery in same city.