John Jeremiah Lawler

American prelate

In officeJan. 29, 1916 – Mar. 11, 1948

His Excellency, The Most Reverend John Jeremiah Lawler
Bishop of Lead/Rapid City titular bishop of Hermopolis Maior
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Lead/Rapid City
In office	Jan. 29, 1916 – Mar. 11, 1948
Predecessor	Joseph Francis Busch
Successor	William Tibertus McCarty
Orders
Ordination	December 19, 1885
Consecration	May 19, 1910 by John Ireland
Personal details
Born	August 4, 1862 Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	March 11, 1948(1948-03-11) (aged 85) Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S.
Education	St. Francis Seminary University of Louvain
Motto	Deus providebit (God will provide)

Styles of John Jeremiah Lawler

Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

John Jeremiah Lawler (August 4, 1862 – March 11, 1948) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Lead (later changed to Diocese of Rapid City) in South Dakota from 1916 until his death in 1948. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul in Minnesota from 1910 to 1916.

Early life

John Lawler was born on August 4, 1862, in Rochester, Minnesota, and attended St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.^[1] He continued his studies in Belgium, studying philosophy at the College of St. Nicholas in Flanders and theology at the University of Louvain.^[2]

Priesthood

Lawler was ordained to the priesthood at Louvain on December 19, 1885, by Cardinal Pierre-Lambert Goossens.^[3] Following his return to Minnesota, Lawler served as professor of scripture at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul and later pastor of St. Luke's Parish in St. Paul.^[2] He also served as rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul^[1] As rector, he was instrumental in the erection of the cathedral at a cost of $5 million.^[2]

Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul

On February 8, 1910, Lawler was appointed auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and titular bishop of Hermopolis Maior by Pope Pius X.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration at Saint Paul Seminary on May 19, 1910, from Archbishop John Ireland, with Bishops James McGolrick and James Trobec serving as co-consecrators.^[3] As an auxiliary bishop, he assisted Ireland for six years.

Bishop of Lead/Rapid City

Lawler was appointed the third bishop of Lead by Pope Benedict XV on January 29, 1916.^[3] On August 1, 1930, the episcopal see of the diocese was changed from Lead, South Dakota, to Rapid City, South Dakota, and the name of the diocese was changed accordingly.^[4] In 1947, Lawler, who had been in failing health, received Bishop William McCarty as his coadjutor bishop.^[2]

Death and legacy

John Lawler died following a stroke on March 11, 1948, at age 85.^[2] At the time of his death, he was the oldest Catholic bishop in the United States and was the second most senior in years of service.^[2]

References

1 2 O'Donnell, John Hugh (1922). The Catholic Hierarchy of the United States, 1790-1922. Washington, D.C.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
1 2 3 4 5 6 "BISHOP J.J. LAWLER OF RAPID CITY, S.D.; Head of Diocese Transferred There in 1930 Dies at 85—Ex-Auxiliary in St. Paul". The New York Times. 1948-03-12.
1 2 3 4 "Bishop John Jeremiah Lawler". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
↑ "Diocese of Rapid City". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Joseph Francis Busch	Bishop of Lead/Rapid City 1916–1948	Succeeded by William Tibertus McCarty

v t e Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph Crétin Thomas Grace Archbishops John Ireland Austin Dowling John Gregory Murray William O. Brady Leo Binz John Roach Harry Joseph Flynn John Clayton Nienstedt Bernard Hebda Coadjutor archbishop Leo Christopher Byrne
Auxiliary bishops	John Jeremiah Lawler James J. Byrne Leonard Philip Cowley Gerald Francis O'Keefe James P. Shannon John Roach Raymond Alphonse Lucker Paul Vincent Dudley John Francis Kinney William Henry Bullock James Richard Ham Robert James Carlson Joseph Charron Lawrence Welsh Frederick F. Campbell Richard Pates Lee A. Piché Andrew H. Cozzens Joseph Andrew Williams Michael Izen Kevin Kenney
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of Saint Paul Basilica of Saint Mary Former cathedrals First Second Third Parishes Church of St. Mark, Saint Paul Church of St. Mary, New Trier Church of St. Stephen, Minneapolis Church of St. Agnes, St. Paul Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul Church of St. Casimir, St. Paul Church of St. Michael, St. Michael Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague Church of the Annunciation, Minneapolis Church of the Annunciation, Webster Township Church of the Assumption, St. Paul Church of the Incarnation, Minneapolis Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wheatland Township Guardian Angels Church, Chaska Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis St. Peter's Church, Mendota St. Columba Church (Saint Paul, Minnesota) St. Mary's Church of the Purification, Marystown Historic Church of St. Hubertus, Chanhassen Chapel Our Lady of Victory Chapel
Education	Higher education St. Catherine University University of St. Thomas Seminaries Saint John Vianney College Seminary Saint Paul Seminary Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary (defunct) High schools Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Bethlehem Academy, Faribault Chesterton Academy, Edina Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis Hill-Murray School, Maplewood Holy Family Catholic High School, Victoria Providence Academy, Plymouth Saint Agnes School, St. Paul Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights Totino-Grace High School, Fridley
Priests	Joseph Francis Busch Peter F. Christensen Alexander Christie Jozef Cieminski James Louis Connolly Timothy J. Corbett Donald DeGrood James Albert Duffy Hilary Baumann Hacker Ambrose Hayden Patrick Richard Heffron Patrick J. Hessian Michael Joncas James Keane Kevin Kenney John M. LeVoir James McGolrick Francis Missia Thomas O'Gorman Augustin Ravoux James Michael Reardon James O'Reilly Jakub W.J. Pacholski John A. Ryan Patrick J. Ryan Francis Joseph Schenk Alphonse James Schladweiler John Shanley Paul Sirba John Stariha Tim Vakoc Thomas Anthony Welch
Cemeteries	Calvary Cemetery Resurrection Cemetery
Other	The Catholic Spirit Ninth National Eucharistic Congress
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City
Bishops	Bishops of Lead John Stariha Joseph Francis Busch Bishops of Rapid City John Jeremiah Lawler William Tibertus McCarty Harold Joseph Dimmerling Charles J. Chaput Blase J. Cupich Robert Dwayne Gruss Peter Michael Muhich Scott E. Bullock Coadjutor Leo Ferdinand Dworschak
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Historic St. Lawrence O'Toole Catholic Church, Central City St. Augustine Church, Dallas St. Martin's Catholic Church and Grotto, Oelrichs St. John's Catholic Church, Paxton Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rapid City St. Charles Borromeo Church, St. Francis
Education	High schools Red Cloud High School, Pine Ridge St. Thomas More High School, Rapid City
Priests	Steven Biegler Lawrence Welsh
Catholicism portal

Priesthood

Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul

Bishop of Lead/Rapid City

Death and legacy

Related Articles