Christopher Joseph Weldon

Christopher Joseph Weldon (September 6, 1905 – March 19, 1982) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts from 1950 to 1977.

The Most Rev. Christopher Joseph Weldon
Bishop emeritus of Springfield in Massachusetts
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Springfield in Massachusetts
In office	March 24, 1950 – October 15, 1977
Predecessor	Thomas Michael O'Leary
Successor	Joseph Francis Maguire
Orders
Ordination	September 21, 1929
Consecration	March 24, 1950
Personal details
Born	September 6, 1905 New York, New York
Died	March 19, 1982 (aged 76) Springfield, Massachusetts

Biography

Christopher Weldon was born in the Bronx section of New York City to Patrick and Mary (née Dwyer) Weldon.[1] After graduating from P.S. 9 in 1918, he then studied at the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Quebec, Canada until 1924, when he returned to the United States and entered St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers.[1] He was ordained to the priesthood on September 21, 1929, at St. Patrick's Cathedral.[2]

Weldon completed his graduate studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.[3] He served as a curate at St. John the Evangelist Church in White Plains and at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mount Kisco.[3] From 1931 to 1935, Weldon was spiritual director at the Newman School in Lakewood, New Jersey.[1] He was a curate at St. John Chrysostom Church (1935–1936) and at Blessed Sacrament Church (1936–1942) in New York.[1] During World War II, he was a chaplain in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946.[3] He then returned to New York, where he became master of ceremonies to Cardinal Francis Spellman.[1] Serving as executive director of Catholic Charities from 1947 to 1950, he was raised to the rank of a Papal Chamberlain in 1947 and a Domestic Prelate in 1948.[1]

On January 28, 1950, Weldon was appointed the fourth Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts by Pope Pius XII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following March 24 from Cardinal Spellman, with Archbishop Richard Cushing and Bishop Stephen Joseph Donahue serving as co-consecrators.[2] During his tenure, Weldon oversaw the construction of Cathedral High School, Our Lady of Lourdes School in Springfield, added a wing to Farren Memorial Hospital in Montague, and built Mont Marie, the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield.[3] He erected 10 new parishes, and constructed 11 new churches and several parish centers.[3] He established a center for the Hispanic apostolate in Springfield, and a diocesan newspaper in 1954.[3] He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, and served as president of Elms College from 1958 to 1977.[3]

After 27 years as bishop, Weldon resigned on October 15, 1977.[2] He later died at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, aged 76.[4]

In September 2018, a Diocesan Review Board notified Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski that it had found an alleged story of sexual abuse by Weldon credible, citing a resident of Chicopee who had said such abuse had occurred to him as a child. The Review Board would later split, with several members saying that the victim did not name Weldon directly, while three others present maintained they had witnessed otherwise; in June 2019 Rozanski met with the alleged victim, saying he found the allegations "deeply troubling".[5][6] In June 2020, an investigation by retired Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis found the claim "to be unequivocally credible."[7]

References

1. Curtis, Georgina Pell; Elder, Benedict (1961). "Weldon, Most Rev. Christopher Joseph". The American Catholic Who's Who, Vol. 14. Walter Romig Publishing. p. 473.
2. "Bishop Christopher Joseph Weldon". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
3. "Past Presidents". Elms College. Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
4. Clark, Alfred E (1982-03-20). "Bishop C.J. Weldon of Massachusetts". The New York Times.
5. Parnass, Larry (May 29, 2019). "Former bishop not listed as 'credibly accused,' despite diocesan board's finding". Berkshire Eagle. Pittsfield, Mass. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019.
6. Flynn, Anne-Gerard (June 16, 2019). "Sex abuse claim against late Springfield bishop Christopher Weldon demonstrates challenge victims face". The Republican. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019.
7. Drake, Rebecca (June 26, 2020). "Abuse allegations against late Springfield, Mass., bishop found credible". National Catholic Reporter.