Joseph Thomas O'Keefe
Encyclopedia
Joseph Thomas O'Keefe was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Syracuse
from 1987 to 1995.
to Michael and Bridget (née O'Sullivan) O'Keefe. He was ordained
to the priesthood
for the Archdiocese of New York
on April 17, 1948. During his priestly ministry, he served as a curate
at St. Luke's Church and biology
instructor and dean
at Cardinal Hayes High School
in The Bronx
. He also taught biology at Mercy College
in Dobbs Ferry
and at St. Joseph Seminary
in Yonkers
. He was Secretary for Education and associate superintendent
of Catholic school
s in the Archdiocese, chancellor
and vicar general
, and pastor
of St. John the Evangelist Church in Manhattan
.
On July 3, 1982, O'Keefe was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of New York and Titular Bishop
of Tres Tabernae
by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following September 8 from Cardinal Terence Cooke, with Archbishop John Joseph Maguire
and Bishop Harold Robert Perry
, S.V.D.
, serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Patrick's Cathedral
. Upon the resignation of Bishop Francis James Harrison
, O'Keefe was named the eighth Bishop of Syracuse
on June 16, 1987. He was installed
at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on the following August 3. After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned as bishop on April 4, 1995.
O'Keefe died from heart failure at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, aged 78.
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 Syracuse
Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
The Diocese of Syracuse is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Syracuse, New York, USA. The current bishop is the Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham. The Diocese of Syracuse includes 350,000 Catholics residing in seven counties of Central and South Central New York State...
from 1987 to 1995.
Biography
Joseph O'Keefe was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Michael and Bridget (née O'Sullivan) O'Keefe. 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....
for the Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
on April 17, 1948. During his priestly ministry, he served 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. Luke's Church and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
instructor and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
at Cardinal Hayes High School
Cardinal Hayes High School
Cardinal Hayes High School is a Catholic high school for boys in the Bronx, New York City. The school serves the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It is a member of the CHSAA.- History :...
in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. He also taught biology at Mercy College
Mercy College (New York)
Mercy College is a private, non-profit liberal arts college with its main campus in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and satellite locations throughout southeastern New York, including the Bronx, Manhattan, White Plains and Yorktown...
in Dobbs Ferry
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...
and at St. Joseph Seminary
St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie
St. Joseph's Seminary and College, sometimes referred to as Dunwoodie, after the Yonkers, New York neighborhood it is located in, is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. Its primary mission is to form men for the priesthood in the Catholic Church...
in Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. He was Secretary for Education and associate superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
s in the Archdiocese, 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....
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...
, 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. John the Evangelist Church in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
On July 3, 1982, O'Keefe 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 New York 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 Tres Tabernae
Three Taverns
Three Taverns was a place on the ancient Appian Way, about 18 km from Rome, designed for the reception of travellers, as the name indicates....
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. 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 Terence Cooke, with Archbishop John Joseph Maguire
John Joseph Maguire
John Joseph Maguire was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as auxiliary bishop and coadjutor archbishop in the Archdiocese of New York.-Early life and education:...
and Bishop Harold Robert Perry
Harold Robert Perry
Harold Robert Perry, S.V.D. was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. An auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans for over twenty years, he was the first African American to serve as a Catholic bishop in the 20th century.-Biography:Harold Perry was born in Lake Charles,...
, S.V.D.
Divine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
, 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...
, at St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
The Cathedral of St. Patrick is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States...
. Upon the resignation of Bishop Francis James Harrison
Francis James Harrison
Francis James Harrison was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Syracuse from 1977 to 1987.-Biography:...
, O'Keefe was named the eighth Bishop of Syracuse
Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
The Diocese of Syracuse is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Syracuse, New York, USA. The current bishop is the Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham. The Diocese of Syracuse includes 350,000 Catholics residing in seven counties of Central and South Central New York State...
on June 16, 1987. He was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on the following August 3. After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned as bishop on April 4, 1995.
O'Keefe died from heart failure at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, aged 78.