John Murphy Farley

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox Christian leader John Murphy Farley (April 20, 1842 – September 17, 1918) was an Irish-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of New York from 1902 until his death in 1918, and became a cardinal in 1911. Farley previously served as an auxiliary bishop of New York from 1895 to 1902.

Early life and education

John Farley was born in Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, Ireland, to Catherine (née Murphy) and Philip Farrelly.<ref name=miranda>Template:Cite web</ref> At age twelve, he was orphaned and went to live with his mother's family in the townland of Moyles.<ref name=croggan>"John Murphy Farley (or Farrelly) (1842 – 1918)", Parish of Lower Creggan</ref> He received his early education under a private tutor named Hugh McGuire.<ref name=fitch>Template:Cite book</ref> He then attended St. Macartan's College in Monaghan from 1859 to 1864.<ref name=catholic>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

With the sponsorship of an uncle, Farley emigrated to the United States at the height of the American Civil War in 1864. He immediately enrolled at St. John's College in New York City, graduating in 1865. He then began his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary in Troy.<ref name=thornton>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1866, he was sent to continue his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.<ref name=fitch/> He was present in Rome during the whole period of the First Vatican Council.<ref name=walsh>Template:Cite book</ref>

Priesthood

Farley was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York by Cardinal Costantino Patrizi Naro in Rome on June 11, 1870.<ref name=hierarchy>Template:Cite web</ref> After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Farley first assignment as a curate at St. Peter's Parish in Staten Island, where he remained for two years.<ref name=nytimes>Template:Cite news</ref>

in 1872 Archbishop John McCloskey, who had previously met Farley in Rome, appointed him as his secretary. <ref name="walsh" /> It was around this time that he changed the spelling of his name from "Farrelly" to "Farley".<ref name="croggan" /> Farley accompanied McCloskey to the 1878 papal conclave in Rome, but they arrived after the conclave elected Pope Leo XIII.<ref name="miranda" /> Farley wrote the article on McCloskey for the Catholic Encyclopedia.<ref name="ce" />

From 1884 to 1902, Farley served as pastor of St. Gabriel's Parish in Manhattan.<ref name="fitch" /> During his tenure at St. Gabriel's, he eliminated the parish debt, oversaw the consecration of a new church, and built a parish hall. The Vatican elevated him to the rank of papal chamberlain in 1884 and of domestic prelate in 1892.<ref name="catholic" />

In addition to his pastoral duties at St. Gabriel's, Farley served as vicar general for the archdiocese from 1891 to 1902.<ref name="miranda" /> He also served as president of the Catholic school board, in which position he organized a Catholic school parade in 1892.<ref name="thornton" /> He later organized a Catholic school exhibit in 1894.<ref name="thornton" /> The Vatican named Farley as a protonotary apostolic in 1895.<ref name="catholic" />

Episcopal career

Auxiliary Bishop of New York

Template:Ordination On November 18, 1895, Farley was appointed auxiliary bishop of New York and titular bishop of Zeugma in Syria by Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 21 from Archbishop Michael Corrigan, with Bishops Charles Edward McDonnell and Henry Gabriels serving as co-consecrators, at St. Patrick's Cathedral.<ref name=hierarchy/> Farley became Apostolic Administrator of the archdiocese upon the death of Archbishop Corrigan on May 5, 1902

Archbishop of New York

Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary, Queens, New York (2024)

Farley was named as the fourth archbishop of New York on September 15, 1902.<ref name="hall">"John Cardinal Farley", Hall of Honor, Fordham University.</ref> He was honored as an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne in 1905.

Pope Pius X created him Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in the consistory of November 27, 1911.<ref name="ce">Template:Citation</ref> He participated in the 1914 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XV. Following the outbreak of World War I in Europe, Farley stated,

"As Catholics in America, we owe unswerving allegiance to the Government of America, and it is our sacred duty to answer with alacrity every demand our country makes upon our loyalty and devotion... I would that peace could come by arbitration and diplomacy. It seems, however, that no permanent peace can be hoped for except through the defeat of German arms in the field or the repudiation of the Prussian autocracy by the German people themselves. Criticism of the government irritates me. I consider it little short of treason."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Farley's dedication to victory in the war angered the Sinn Féin element of the New York clergy, who believed that he was bowing to anti-Irish bigots.

He made progress in Catholic education in the archdiocese the keynote of his tenure as archbishop, and established nearly 50 new parochial schools within his first eight years; he also founded the Cathedral Preparatory Seminary in Queens.<ref name="hall" /> Farley took daily walks with one of his priests down Madison or Fifth Avenues in Manhattan, noting, "A man never collects his thoughts so well as when he walks alone or with a congenial spirit."

Death

Farley died on September 17, 1918, in Mamaroneck, New York, at age 76.<ref name="nytimes" /> He is buried in the crypt under the altar of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Further reading

• Thomas J. Shelley; "John Cardinal Farley and Modernism in New York" Church History, Vol. 61, 1992

Sources

• The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church Retrieved 2010-04-20.

External links

• Template:Gutenberg author
• Template:Internet Archive author