Thomas Welsh (bishop)

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For other people named Thomas Welsh, see Thomas Welsh (disambiguation).

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Thomas Jerome Welsh
Bishop of Allentown
titular bishop of Inis Cathaig
SeeDiocese of Allentown
InstalledMarch 21, 1983
Term endedDecember 15, 1997
PredecessorJoseph McShea
SuccessorEdward Cullen
Other post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia (1970–1974)
Bishop of Arlington
(1974–1983)
Orders
OrdinationMay 30, 1946
ConsecrationApril 2, 1970
Personal details
Born(1921-12-20)December 20, 1921
Weatherly, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 19, 2009(2009-02-19) (aged 87)
Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DenominationCatholic Church
EducationSt. Charles Borromeo Seminary
Catholic University of America

Thomas Jerome Welsh (December 20, 1921 – February 19, 2009) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania (1970-1974), as bishop of the Diocese of Arlington in Virginia (1974–1983) and as bishop of the Diocese of Allentown in Pennsylvania (1983–1997).

Biography

Early life

Thomas Welsh was born on December 20, 1921, in

Irish Catholic family, he received his early education at the parochial school St. Nicholas Church in Weatherly.[1] He then attended Schwab High School, also in Weatherly, and later began his studies for the priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania, in 1937.[2]

Priesthood

On May 30, 1946, Welsh was

doctorate in canon law in 1949.[4] During his summers at the Catholic University, he served as a curate at St. Paul Parish in Philadelphia, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish[5] in Philadelphia, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish[6] in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.[7]

In 1949, Welsh became a professor at

Southeast Catholic High School (now St. John Neumann High School) in Philadelphia.[2] He was assigned as a curate at Holy Child Parish in Philadelphia in 1951, and named a member of the archdiocesan Metropolitan Marriage Tribunal in 1958.[1] He was appointed vice-chancellor of the archdiocese in 1963. He was raised to the rank of monsignor by Pope Paul VI in September 1965, and became rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 1966.[8] During his tenure as rector, he oversaw an extensive revision of the curriculum, which earned the seminary accreditation with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; the construction of a new theology wing named Vianney Hall; and the establishment the School of Religious Studies and the School of Pastoral Studies.[7]

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

On February 18, 1970, Welsh was appointed as an

consecration on April 2, 1970. from Cardinal John Krol, with Bishops Gerald McDevitt and John Graham serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.[4]

Bishop of Arlington

Welsh was appointed by Paul VI as the first

bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Arlington on June 4, 1974. He was installed on August 13 1974. During his tenure, he established six new parishes and dedicated eleven new churches. He established the Office of Migration and Refugee Services in 1975 and the Family Life Bureau in 1977.[4]
Welsh also began the diocesan newspaper, The Arlington Catholic Herald.

Walsh was the founding president of the board of the Catholic Home Study Institute which became the Catholic Distance University.[9] The number of Catholics in Arlington increased from 154,000 to 179,000 under his tenure.[2]

Bishop of Allentown

Following the resignation of Bishop

Humanae Vitae for the diocesan clergy.[1]

Welsh established the first Youth Ministry Office in the diocese and raised $13 million in an endowment campaign for diocesan schools and other educational efforts. He was a board member and member of the Executive Committee of the

Jews.[2]
He turned his home, a mansion purchased by Bishop McShea and bequeathed to the diocese upon his death, into a center for carrying on his pastoral work.

In 2018, Welsh was included in a report about cover-ups in six dioceses of Pennsylvania of child sexual abuse by priests. In the report, there are copies of correspondence with Bishop Leroy T. Matthiesen, referred to retired priest in Matthiesen's diocese as a recovering alcoholic. Welsh expressed concerns that the priest continue to be closely supervised. In 2002, the priest was arrested for abusing a 15-year old boy.[11]

Later life and death

On December 15, 1997, John Paul II accepted Welsh's resignation as bishop of Allentown. He was succeeded by Bishop

Edward Peter Cullen.[12] During his retirement, Welsh continued to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation at parishes around the diocese.[1]

Thomas Welsh died February 19, 2009, at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest in Allentown at age 87.[2] He was buried in St. Nicholas Cemetery in Weatherly.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, Retired Bishop of Allentown, Dies at Age 87". Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. February 19, 2009. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Thomas Welsh, Allentown bishop, dies ** Catholic leader: Weatherly native led the diocese from 1983-97. He was 87". The Morning Call. February 20, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Bishop Welsh, former seminary rector, dies at 87". Catholic Philly.
  4. ^ a b c Flach, Michael F. (January 1, 1999). "Arlington's First Bishop: Thomas J. Welsh". Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010.
  5. ^ "Maternity B. V. M. Church at 9220 Old Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19115 US - Home". May 29, 2010. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010.
  6. ^ "Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church – 235 East State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901". ourladymtcarmel.org.
  7. ^ a b "Pope names Welsh to replace McShea". Reading Eagle. February 8, 1983.
  8. ^ "Career MILESTONES". Lehigh Valley Live. February 21, 2009.
  9. ^ "Bishop Thomas J. Welsh: A living icon of the Good Shepherd and of hope". Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  10. ^ "Bishop Thomas Jerome Welsh". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 21, 2015.[self-published source]
  11. ^ "After shocking Catholic abuse report, the law can do little — for now". NBC News. August 15, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  12. ^ "Bishop Edward Peter Cullen". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 21, 2015.[self-published source]
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
–
 Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia
1970–1974 		Succeeded by
–
Preceded by
Diocese Erected
 Bishop of Arlington
1974–1983 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Joseph Mark McShea
 Bishop of Allentown
1983–1997 		Succeeded by
Edward Peter Cullen
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