James Timothy O'Meara
Encyclopedia
James Timothy O'Meara was the first Irish and English-speaking Roman Catholic priest in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
. He came to Chicago in 1837 and was brought into the middle of many conflicts involving Catholics of different ethnicities and with the Archdiocese itself. He was threatened with excommunication
, but eventually submitted to the bishop's demands.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
. He came to Chicago in 1837 and was brought into the middle of many conflicts involving Catholics of different ethnicities and with the Archdiocese itself. He was threatened with excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
, but eventually submitted to the bishop's demands.