Michael Joseph Crane

Michael Crane was born on September 8, 1863, in Ashland, Pennsylvania. He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.^[1] He continued his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree in 1890.^[1]

Crane was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Archbishop Patrick John Ryan on June 15, 1889.^[2]

He served as a curate at a parish in Reading and later at St. Malachy Church in Philadelphia.^[1] In 1903, he became rector of St. Francis de Sales Church, also in Philadelphia.^[1] The Vatican name Crane as a papal chamberlain in 1914. Archbishop Dennis Joseph Dougherty appointed him as vicar general of the archdiocese in 1920.^[3]

On August 20, 1921, Crane was appointed auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia and titular bishop of Curium by Pope Benedict XV.^[4] He received his episcopal consecration on September 19, 1921, from Cardinal Dennis Joseph Dougherty, with Bishops John Joseph McCort and Thomas Walsh serving as co-consecrators.^[2] As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Philadelphia.^[1]

Crane died from pneumonia on December 26, 1928, in Philadelphia at the rectory of St. Francis de Sales, at age 65.^[1]