Merlin Guilfoyle
Catholic University of America |
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Styles of Merlin Guilfoyle | |
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Your Excellency | |
Religious style | Monsignor |
Merlin Joseph Guilfoyle (July 15, 1908 – November 20, 1981) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Stockton from 1969 to 1979. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco from 1950 to 1969.
Biography
Early life
Merlin Guilfoyle was born on July 15, 1908, in
Guilfoyle attended St. James Boys' School in San Francisco from 1914 to 1922, and St. Joseph's College in
Priesthood
Guilfoyle was
Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco
On August 24, 1950, Guilfoyle was appointed
In addition to his duties as bishop, Guilfoyle served as rector of Mission San Francisco de Asís (1950-1969) and military vicar of armed forces for the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Dioceses of Monterey-Fresno, Sacramento, Reno, and Salt Lake City.[1] On October 3, 1955, Guilfoyle dedicated a statue of Francis of Assisi by artist Beniamino Bufano at St. Francis of Assisi Church in San Francisco.[3]
Bishop of Stockton
Guilfoyle was named the second bishop of the Diocese of Stockton by Pope Paul VI on November 12, 1969.[2] He was installed on January 13, 1970.
Retirement and legacy
On September 4, 1979. Pope Paul II accepted Guilfoyle's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Stockton. Merlin Guilfoyle died in Stockton, California, on November 20, 1981, at age 73.[2]
On July 17, 1998, a jury awarded two brothers $40 million in a sexual abuse lawsuit against the Diocese of Stockton. Joh and James Howard said they were molested as altar boys by Reverend Oliver Francis O’Grady, a priest at St. Ann's Parish in Lodi, California, starting in the 1970's. O'Grady had received 14 years in prison for molesting the boys. In 1976, O'Grady had admitted to Guilfoyle directly that he had inappropriately touched Nancy Sloan-Ferguson, then an 11 year old girl. In response, Guilfoyle transferred him to another parish and sent him to counseling - he did not suspend his privileges or notify police. The lawsuit accused the diocese of negligence.[4][5][6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
- ^ a b c d e "Bishop Merlin Joseph Guilfoyle". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
- ^ "Jury Awards $30 Million to Brothers Molested by Priest". Los Angeles Times. 17 July 1998. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
- ^ warned, Elizabeth Bell,Witness says she. "Woman testifies that Catholic priest molested her". The Stockton Record. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Writer, Kim CurtisAssociated Press (3 June 2005). "Court papers shed light on nightmarish life of former Lodi priest". Lodinews.com. Retrieved 2022-09-26.