Jeremiah Francis Minihan
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah Francis Minihan (July 21, 1903 – August 14, 1973) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Boston
from 1954 until his death in 1973.
, Massachusetts
, one of two sons of Timothy and Nora Agnes (née Duggan) Minihan. His parents were both Irish
immigrants; his father was from County Cork
and his mother was from County Kerry
. He received his early education at the parochial school
of St. James Church in his native city. He then attended Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
, graduating in 1925. At Georgetown, he played as a lineman on the football team
; the Jeremiah Minihan Coaches Award, presented the student who has made an outstanding contribution to the team, is named in his honor.
However, Minihan gave up his promising athletic career to study for the priesthood
. He studied at the Propaganda University
in Rome
, where he earned a doctorate in theology
in 1930. He was ordained
a priest in Rome on December 21, 1929. Following his return to Massachusetts, he was assigned as a curate
at St. Paul Church in Cambridge
. He served as assistant chancellor
of the Archdiocese of Boston
(1931-33) and secretary to Cardinal William Henry O'Connell
(1933-43).
Minihan was named a Monsignor
in 1936. In 1943, he became chancellor of the archdiocese and pastor
of St. Catherine Church in Norwood
. He also served as pastor of St. Theresa Church in West Roxbury, diocesan consultor
, synod
al judge, and vicar
for religious
.
During Minihan's tenure at St. Theresa's in West Roxbury, he shared the rectory with Father John Cotter. Cotter was later revealed to be one of the worst child-abusers in the Diocese. Father Gilbert Phinn, who later went on to be Diocese personnel director, was in the same rectory at the same time. Phinn was responsible for knowingly distributing abusers like Cotter throughout Boston. Many parishioner's and victims consider Minihan, in his tenure at St. Theresa, as an enabler at best, and a conspirator at worst.
On May 21, 1954, Minihan was appointed auxiliary bishop
of Boston and titular bishop
of Paphos
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following September 8 from Cardinal Richard Cushing, with Bishops John Joseph Wright and Vincent Stanislaus Waters
serving as co-consecrators
. As an auxiliary bishop, he served as regional bishop
for the North Pastoral Region
.
Minihan died while on vacation in Dublin, at age 70.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as an auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
from 1954 until his death in 1973.
Biography
Jeremiah Minihan was born in HaverhillHaverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.Located on the Merrimack River, it began as a farming community that would evolve into an important industrial center, beginning with sawmills and gristmills run by water power. In the...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, one of two sons of Timothy and Nora Agnes (née Duggan) Minihan. His parents were both Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants; his father was from County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
and his mother was from County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. He received his early education at the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
of St. James Church in his native city. He then attended Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, graduating in 1925. At Georgetown, he played as a lineman on the football team
Georgetown Hoyas football
The Georgetown Hoyas football team represents Georgetown University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level of college football. Like other sports teams from Georgetown, the team is named the Hoyas, which derives from the chant, Hoya Saxa...
; the Jeremiah Minihan Coaches Award, presented the student who has made an outstanding contribution to the team, is named in his honor.
However, Minihan gave up his promising athletic career to study for the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. He studied at the Propaganda University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he earned a doctorate in theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
in 1930. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest in Rome on December 21, 1929. Following his return to Massachusetts, he was assigned as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Paul Church in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. He served as assistant chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
(1931-33) and secretary to Cardinal William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Early life:...
(1933-43).
Minihan was named a Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1936. In 1943, he became chancellor of the archdiocese and pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Catherine Church in Norwood
Norwood, Massachusetts
Norwood is a town and census-designated place in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,602. The community was named after Norwood, England...
. He also served as pastor of St. Theresa Church in West Roxbury, diocesan consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
, synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
al judge, and vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for religious
Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the term "consecrated life" denotes a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way recognized by the Church...
.
During Minihan's tenure at St. Theresa's in West Roxbury, he shared the rectory with Father John Cotter. Cotter was later revealed to be one of the worst child-abusers in the Diocese. Father Gilbert Phinn, who later went on to be Diocese personnel director, was in the same rectory at the same time. Phinn was responsible for knowingly distributing abusers like Cotter throughout Boston. Many parishioner's and victims consider Minihan, in his tenure at St. Theresa, as an enabler at best, and a conspirator at worst.
On May 21, 1954, Minihan was appointed auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Boston and titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following September 8 from Cardinal Richard Cushing, with Bishops John Joseph Wright and Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh from 1945 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. As an auxiliary bishop, he served as regional bishop
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
for the North Pastoral Region
North Pastoral Region
The North Pastoral Region is one of the five pastoral regions of the Archdiocese of Boston in the Roman Catholic Church. It covers the southern portion of Essex County in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current regional auxiliary bishop is Peter J. Uglietto. The region has...
.
Minihan died while on vacation in Dublin, at age 70.