Joseph Bernard Brunini
Encyclopedia
Joseph Bernard Brunini was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Jackson
from 1967 to 1984.
, Mississippi
, the sixth child of John and Blanche (née Stein) Brunini. His father was the son of Italian
immigrants and worked as a lawyer
, even founding his own firm, Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes; his mother was Jewish. After attending St. Aloysius High School
in Vicksburg, he studied at Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1930. He then furthered his studies in Rome
at the Pontifical North American College
and the Propaganda University
, earning a Bachelor of Sacred Theology
in 1931. While in Rome, he was ordained
to the priesthood
by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani on December 5, 1933.
Following his return to the United States
, Brunini completed his graduate
studies at the Catholic University of America
and later obtained a Doctor of Canon Law
in 1937. He then returned to Mississippi and was named a curate
at St. Mary's Cathedral in Natchez
, where he became rector
in 1943. He was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain
in 1944, and served as chancellor
(1941-1951) and vicar general
(1951-1957) of the Diocese of Natchez
. He was made a Domestic Prelate
in 1948 and pastor
of St. Peter's Cathedral
at Jackson
in 1949.
On November 28, 1956, Brunini was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Natchez and Titular Bishop
of Axomis by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on January 29, 1957 from Bishop Richard Oliver Gerow
, with Bishops Charles Pasquale Greco
and John Louis Morkovsky
serving as co-consecrators
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he continued to serve as vicar general and pastor of St. Peter's Cathedral. Following the resignation of Bishop Gerow, Brunini was named the eighth Bishop of Natchez-Jackson
by Pope Paul VI
on December 2, 1967. He was the first native Mississippian to serve in that post. During his tenure, he was an outspoken advocate of the civil rights movement; he once declared, "We as religious leaders can't blame the politician
s if we don't do our job first." He co-found and served as the first president
of the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference. The name of the diocese was simplified to the Diocese of Jackson on March 1, 1977.
After sixteen years as Bishop of Jackson, Brunini retired on January 24, 1984. He later died while attending a conference in Louisiana
, aged 86.
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 Bishop of Jackson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
from 1967 to 1984.
Biography
Joseph Brunini was born in VicksburgVicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, the sixth child of John and Blanche (née Stein) Brunini. His father was the son of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
immigrants and worked as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, even founding his own firm, Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes; his mother was Jewish. After attending St. Aloysius High School
St. Aloysius High School (Vicksburg, Mississippi)
St. Aloysius High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson.-Background:St. Aloysius was founded in 1878 by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart...
in Vicksburg, he studied at 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....
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1930. He then furthered his studies 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...
at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
and 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:...
, earning a Bachelor of Sacred Theology
Bachelor of Sacred Theology
The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
in 1931. While in Rome, 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....
to 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....
by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani on December 5, 1933.
Following his return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Brunini completed his graduate
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
studies at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
and later obtained a Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
in 1937. He then returned to Mississippi and was named 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. Mary's Cathedral in Natchez
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
, where he became rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
in 1943. He was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain
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 1944, and served as 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....
(1941-1951) and vicar general
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...
(1951-1957) of the Diocese of Natchez
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
. He was made a Domestic Prelate
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 1948 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. Peter's Cathedral
Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle (Jackson)
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter the Apostle is the seat of the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi. The cathedral is named for Saint Peter the Apostle.- History :...
at Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
in 1949.
On November 28, 1956, Brunini 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 Natchez 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 Axomis 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 January 29, 1957 from Bishop Richard Oliver Gerow
Richard Oliver Gerow
Richard Oliver Gerow was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Natchez-Jackson from 1924 to 1967.-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Charles Pasquale Greco
Charles Pasquale Greco
Charles Pasquale Greco was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Alexandria in Louisiana from 1946 to 1973.-Biography:...
and John Louis Morkovsky
John Louis Morkovsky
John Louis Morkovsky was an Czech American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Amarillo and Bishop of Galveston-Houston .-Early life and education:...
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...
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he continued to serve as vicar general and pastor of St. Peter's Cathedral. Following the resignation of Bishop Gerow, Brunini was named the eighth Bishop of Natchez-Jackson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on December 2, 1967. He was the first native Mississippian to serve in that post. During his tenure, he was an outspoken advocate of the civil rights movement; he once declared, "We as religious leaders can't blame the politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s if we don't do our job first." He co-found and served as the first president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference. The name of the diocese was simplified to the Diocese of Jackson on March 1, 1977.
After sixteen years as Bishop of Jackson, Brunini retired on January 24, 1984. He later died while attending a conference in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, aged 86.