Paul John Hallinan
Encyclopedia
Paul John Hallinan was an American
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Charleston
(1958-1962) and Archbishop of Atlanta (1962-1968). He was known as a champion of racial equality and liturgical reform.
, Ohio
, to Clarence C. and Rose Jane (née Laracy) Hallinan. Both sets of his grandparents were from Ireland
. From 1924 to 1928, he attended Cathedral Latin School
in Cleveland, where he served as editor of the high school yearbook. He then studied at the University of Notre Dame
in Indiana
, and there earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Philosophy in 1932. He again edited the yearbook while at Notre Dame, and worked for the Painesville Telegraph during his summer vacations. He made his theological studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland.
to the priesthood
on February 20, 1937. His first assignment was as a curate
at St. Aloysius Church in Cleveland, where he remained for five years. In 1942, he became an Army
chaplain
with the 542nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment, serving in Australia
, New Guinea
, and the Philippines
. Holding the rank of captain, he was wounded in action on Biak Island
and received the Purple Heart
in 1944.
Upon his return to the Diocese of Cleveland
, he served as a curate at St. John's Cathedral
(1945-1947) and diocesan director of Newman Clubs
(1947-1958). Using the G.I. Bill to finance his graduate school education, he earned a Master of Arts
degree from John Carroll University
in 1953. His father, who died in 1955, lived the last three years of his life with Paul while he was a chaplain
at Western Reserve University
. From 1952 to 1954, he served as national chaplain of the National Newman Club Federation. He was named a Monsignor
during this time as well.
, South Carolina
, by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following October 28 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Archbishop Edward Francis Hoban
and Bishop John Krol serving as co-consecrators
. His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on November 25, 1958. He selected as his episcopal motto
: Ut Diligatis Invicem, meaning, "That You Love One Another" .
Recognized as one of the South
's "foremost advocates of social and religious liberalism,", Hallinan became known for his personal dedication to the civil rights movement and the cause of racial equality. In February 1961, he issued a pastoral letter in which he wrote, "With racial tension mounting, the Church must speak out clearly. In justice to our people, we cannot abandon leadership to the extremists whose only creed is fear and hatred." However, he delayed full racial integration
at Catholic institutions in the diocese out of fear for the safety of African American
students. Explaining this decision, he said, "The Catholics are 1.3% of the population in our state. If the full federal power cannot carry this off, it's fatuous to think we can. I would take the risk on high moral principles, but it would be a hollow victory if it wrecked our school system or did harm to our children."
Hallinan was also an advocate of ecumenism
, and once wrote, "Never has this longing for Christian unity been more evident...We are growing more conscious that the Holy Spirit of God, brooding over our distressed world and our divided Christendom, is stirring now the souls of men in many places, providing the light and strength without which reunion remains an empty dream."
, Hallinan was named the first Archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia
, by Pope John XXIII
on February 19, 1962. His installation took place at the Cathedral of Christ the King on the following March 29.
During his six years as Archbishop, he opened several churches and missions, as well as the John Lancaster Spalding Catholic Center at the University of Georgia
. He transferred St. Joseph's Boys Home in Washington
to Atlanta and converted it into the Village of St. Joseph for boys and girls. He also established The Georgia Bulletin, the weekly archdiocesan newspaper. In his final years, he was assisted in the governance of the archdiocese by his protégé and auxiliary bishop
, Joseph Bernardin, who would later become a cardinal
and Archbishop of Chicago
.
In 1963, he earned a Ph.D.
in History from Western Reserve University; his dissertation was a biography of Richard Gilmour
, who served as Bishop of Cleveland from 1872 to 1891.
, and encouraged Atlanta Catholics to open their neighborhoods "so Negroes can exercise the right of every American to live where he wishes."
In 1964, he was one of four Atlanta civic leaders who sponsored a banquet honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
, after he received the Nobel Peace Prize
. He praised King as a "pioneer in a new dynamic of peace, expressed in the formula, 'I will walk in liberty, O Lord, because I seek thy precepts' ."
. Appointed to the Council's Commission on the Sacred Liturgy, he became a prominent advocate for the use of the vernacular
in the Mass
. He described Sacrosanctum Concilium
, the Council's constitution on the liturgy, as "a vote against old ideas...[it] paves the way for everything else." In one of his last talks, he said, "Through the Sacred Constitution on the Liturgy, we are now emerging from a period of fixity and rigidity which was unnatural in the Church's life." He befriended such progressive minds as Hans Küng
and Cardinal Leo Joseph Suenens
. In July 1964, he published a pamphlet, "How to Understand Changes in the Liturgy," that was distributed throughout the United States and abroad. He later served as chairman of the U.S. Bishops
' Committee on the Liturgy and as member of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy
.
Hallinan supported the cautious approach of Pope Paul VI
towards internal renewal in the Church, saying, "We need some kind of brake for safety's sake. If we move too fast, we may not have time to communicate properly with our clergy
and our laymen
". In an attempt to increase the role of the laity
in the Church, he appointed more than 125 lay men and women to ecclesiastical positions. He also called the first Lay Congress in the archdiocese.
He sat on the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
, and opposed the removal of liberal
theologian
Charles Curran
.
, Hallinan was a staunch opponent of the Vietnam War
. At a study conference of the Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam (CALCAV), he declared, "Our conscience and our voice must be raised against the savagery and terror of war." In August 1967, he was one of four American Catholic bishops who endorsed the Negotiation Now! campaign to end the war.
on his return from the second session of the Second Vatican Council in December 1963. He was hospitalized for almost seven months and never fully regained his health, suffering from recurring bouts of the disease for the rest of his life. He eventually died from hepatitis at his residence in Atlanta, aged 57.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman 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 Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
(1958-1962) and Archbishop of Atlanta (1962-1968). He was known as a champion of racial equality and liturgical reform.
Early life and education
Paul Hallinan was born in PainesvillePainesville, Ohio
As of the 2010 Census, there were 19,563 people. As of the census of 2000, there were 17,503 people, 6,525 households, and 4,032 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,928.6 people per square mile . There were 6,933 housing units at an average density of 1,160.0 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to Clarence C. and Rose Jane (née Laracy) Hallinan. Both sets of his grandparents were from Ireland
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...
. From 1924 to 1928, he attended Cathedral Latin School
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin is a coeducational, Catholic high school in Chardon, Ohio, sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.-Background:...
in Cleveland, where he served as editor of the high school yearbook. He then studied at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and there earned 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 Philosophy in 1932. He again edited the yearbook while at Notre Dame, and worked for the Painesville Telegraph during his summer vacations. He made his theological studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland.
Priesthood
Hallinan was ordainedHoly 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....
on February 20, 1937. His first assignment was 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. Aloysius Church in Cleveland, where he remained for five years. In 1942, he became an Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
with the 542nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment, serving in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Holding the rank of captain, he was wounded in action on Biak Island
Biak
Biak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 27 degrees celsius, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak...
and received the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
in 1944.
Upon his return to the Diocese of Cleveland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is a Roman Catholic diocese in Ohio. It was erected on April 23, 1847 by Pope Pius IX. The diocese lost territory in 1910 when the Diocese of Toledo was erected by Pope Pius X, and in 1943 when the Diocese of Youngstown was erected by Pope Pius XII...
, he served as a curate at St. John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Cleveland
In the 1830s, Catholics started to arrive in the Western Reserve region of Ohio, United States, so the Archdiocese of Cincinnati sent priests up to the Northeast Ohio area to serve. The first parish in Cleveland was St. Mary's of the Flats. In 1847, Pope Pius IX established the Catholic Diocese of...
(1945-1947) and diocesan director of Newman Clubs
Newman Centre
Named in honour of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Newman Centers are residence and Catholic ministry centers at non-Catholic universities throughout the world. They were inspired by Newman's writings encouraging societies for Catholic students attending secular universities.In 1888 the...
(1947-1958). Using the G.I. Bill to finance his graduate school education, he earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from John Carroll University
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
in 1953. His father, who died in 1955, lived the last three years of his life with Paul while he was a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
. From 1952 to 1954, he served as national chaplain of the National Newman Club Federation. He 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"...
during this time as well.
Bishop of Charleston
On September 9, 1958, Hallinan was appointed the eighth Bishop of CharlestonRoman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 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 October 28 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Archbishop Edward Francis Hoban
Edward Francis Hoban
Edward Francis Hoban was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Rockford and Bishop of Cleveland .-Biography:...
and Bishop John Krol 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...
. His installation took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on November 25, 1958. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: Ut Diligatis Invicem, meaning, "That You Love One Another" .
Recognized as one of the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
's "foremost advocates of social and religious liberalism,", Hallinan became known for his personal dedication to the civil rights movement and the cause of racial equality. In February 1961, he issued a pastoral letter in which he wrote, "With racial tension mounting, the Church must speak out clearly. In justice to our people, we cannot abandon leadership to the extremists whose only creed is fear and hatred." However, he delayed full racial integration
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
at Catholic institutions in the diocese out of fear for the safety of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
students. Explaining this decision, he said, "The Catholics are 1.3% of the population in our state. If the full federal power cannot carry this off, it's fatuous to think we can. I would take the risk on high moral principles, but it would be a hollow victory if it wrecked our school system or did harm to our children."
Hallinan was also an advocate of ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, and once wrote, "Never has this longing for Christian unity been more evident...We are growing more conscious that the Holy Spirit of God, brooding over our distressed world and our divided Christendom, is stirring now the souls of men in many places, providing the light and strength without which reunion remains an empty dream."
Archbishop of Atlanta
Following the resignation of Bishop Francis Edward HylandFrancis Edward Hyland
Francis Edward Hyland was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Atlanta from 1956 to 1961.-Biography:...
, Hallinan was named the first Archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
on February 19, 1962. His installation took place at the Cathedral of Christ the King on the following March 29.
During his six years as Archbishop, he opened several churches and missions, as well as the John Lancaster Spalding Catholic Center at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. He transferred St. Joseph's Boys Home in Washington
Washington, Georgia
Washington is a city in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,295 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wilkes County...
to Atlanta and converted it into the Village of St. Joseph for boys and girls. He also established The Georgia Bulletin, the weekly archdiocesan newspaper. In his final years, he was assisted in the governance of the archdiocese by his protégé and 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...
, Joseph Bernardin, who would later become a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and Archbishop of Chicago
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...
.
In 1963, he earned a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in History from Western Reserve University; his dissertation was a biography of Richard Gilmour
Richard Gilmour
Richard Gilmour was a Scottish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cleveland from 1872 until his death in 1891.-Biography:...
, who served as Bishop of Cleveland from 1872 to 1891.
Civil rights
Continuing his advocacy for civil rights in Atlanta, Hallinan's first act as Archbishop was to order the integregation of all Catholic institutions under his jurisdiction. "To call this action courageous," he said of his decision, "is a reflection on this community. We decided to move at this time to desegregate archdiocesan schools, first, because it's right, and second, because an excellent climate of opinion and action already exists here." He also sent priests and nuns to participate in the Selma to Montgomery marchesSelma to Montgomery marches
The Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They grew out of the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, launched by local African-Americans who formed the Dallas County Voters League...
, and encouraged Atlanta Catholics to open their neighborhoods "so Negroes can exercise the right of every American to live where he wishes."
In 1964, he was one of four Atlanta civic leaders who sponsored a banquet honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
, after he received the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. He praised King as a "pioneer in a new dynamic of peace, expressed in the formula, 'I will walk in liberty, O Lord, because I seek thy precepts' ."
Second Vatican Council
Between 1962 and 1965, Hallinan attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. Appointed to the Council's Commission on the Sacred Liturgy, he became a prominent advocate for the use of the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
in the Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. He described Sacrosanctum Concilium
Sacrosanctum Concilium
Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, is one of the constitutions of the Second Vatican Council. It was approved by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,147 to 4 and promulgated by Pope Paul VI on December 4, 1963...
, the Council's constitution on the liturgy, as "a vote against old ideas...[it] paves the way for everything else." In one of his last talks, he said, "Through the Sacred Constitution on the Liturgy, we are now emerging from a period of fixity and rigidity which was unnatural in the Church's life." He befriended such progressive minds as Hans Küng
Hans Küng
Hans Küng is a Swiss Catholic priest, theologian, and prolific author. Since 1995 he has been President of the Foundation for a Global Ethic . Küng is "a Catholic priest in good standing", but the Vatican has rescinded his authority to teach Catholic theology...
and Cardinal Leo Joseph Suenens
Leo Joseph Suenens
Leo Jozef Suenens was a Belgian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel from 1961 to 1979, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1962....
. In July 1964, he published a pamphlet, "How to Understand Changes in the Liturgy," that was distributed throughout the United States and abroad. He later served as chairman of the U.S. Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
' Committee on the Liturgy and as member of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy
International Commission on English in the Liturgy
The International Commission on English in the Liturgy is a commission set up by a number of episcopal conferences of English-speaking countries for the purpose of providing English translations of the liturgical books of the Roman Rite, the originals of which are in Latin.Decisions to adopt these...
.
Hallinan supported the cautious approach of 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...
towards internal renewal in the Church, saying, "We need some kind of brake for safety's sake. If we move too fast, we may not have time to communicate properly with our clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and our laymen
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
". In an attempt to increase the role of the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
in the Church, he appointed more than 125 lay men and women to ecclesiastical positions. He also called the first Lay Congress in the archdiocese.
He sat on the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
As of May 2010, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of:*Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus*Richard D. Banziger, B.A. 1981, Managing Director, Salomon Smith Barney...
, and opposed the removal of liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
Charles Curran
Charles Curran (theologian)
The Rev. Charles E. Curran is a moral theologian. He currently serves at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values.-Biography:...
.
Vietnam War
Unlike Cardinal Francis Spellman of New YorkRoman 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...
, Hallinan was a staunch opponent of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. At a study conference of the Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam (CALCAV), he declared, "Our conscience and our voice must be raised against the savagery and terror of war." In August 1967, he was one of four American Catholic bishops who endorsed the Negotiation Now! campaign to end the war.
Illness and death
Hallinan contracted hepatitisHepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
on his return from the second session of the Second Vatican Council in December 1963. He was hospitalized for almost seven months and never fully regained his health, suffering from recurring bouts of the disease for the rest of his life. He eventually died from hepatitis at his residence in Atlanta, aged 57.