Edward Cornelius O'Leary

Edward Cornelius O'Leary (August 21, 1920 – April 2, 2002) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Portland, Maine in 1974–1988.

The Most Reverend Edward Cornelius O'Leary
Bishop of Portland
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Portland
In office	December 18, 1974 – September 27, 1988
Predecessor	Peter Leo Gerety
Successor	Joseph John Gerry, O.S.B.
Orders
Ordination	June 15, 1946
Consecration	January 25, 1971
Personal details
Born	August 21, 1920 Bangor, Maine
Died	April 2, 2002 (aged 81) Portland, Maine
Previous post	Auxiliary Bishop of Portland (1971–1974)

Ordination history of Edward Cornelius O'Leary
History Episcopal consecration Consecrated by Peter Leo Gerety Date January 25, 1971
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Edward Cornelius O'Leary as principal consecrator Amédée Wilfrid Proulx November 12, 1975

Biography

Edward O'Leary was born in Bangor, Maine, and studied at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, from where he obtained his Bachelor's degree.[1] He attended St. Paul's Seminary in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, there earning a Licentiate of Sacred Theology.[1] Returning to Maine, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Edward McCarthy on June 15, 1946.[2]

O'Leary was a curate at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception before serving at Sacred Heart Church of Portland and at St. Margaret's Church in Old Orchard Beach.[1] He was later named chancellor of the Diocese of Portland, and a Domestic Prelate by Pope John XXIII in 1959.[1] He was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brunswick from 1967 to 1971.[3]

On November 16, 1970, O'Leary was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Portland and Titular Bishop of Moglaena by Pope Paul VI.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on January 25, 1971 from Bishop Peter Leo Gerety, with Bishops Bernard Joseph Flanagan and Lawrence Graves serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.[2] Following the promotion of Bishop Gerety to Archbishop of Newark in April 1974, O'Leary was named to succeed him as the ninth Bishop of Portland on October 16, 1974.[2] He was formally installed on December 18 of that year.[2]

During his tenure, O'Leary was forced to address the problems of an increasing population but a decline in priestly vocations.[4] He encouraged the greater involvement of laity and women in church administration, and developed a system of parish councils.[1] The Portland Diocese also joined the Maine Council of Churches during this time.[4] O'Leary took frequent public stands on a number of social issues of importance to the Church, endorsing a referendum on pornography and opposing the Maine Equal Rights Amendment (which he believed would enforce taxpayer-funded abortions).[1] He also targeted AIDS victims for the Church's social services program.[1] It was also customary for Bishop O'Leary to visit all the hospitals every Christmas Day.

Last years and death

After fourteen years as bishop, O'Leary retired due to health reasons on September 27, 1988.[2] He later died at age 81. He was brother of the sister-in-law of Bishop Thomas Vose Daily.[5] He remained Bishop Emeritus of Portland until his death on April 2, 2002.[2]

References

1. "Most Rev. Edward C. O'Leary, D.D." Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
2. "Bishop Edward Cornelius O'Leary". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
3. "Parish History". St. Charles Borromeo Church. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
4. "History of the Portland Diocese". Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
5. Forry, Bill (2008-06-19). "New pastors take over at St. Greg's, St. Ann's". The Dorchester Reporter.