John Joyce Russell (December 1, 1897 – March 17, 1993) was an American
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, serving as bishop of the
Diocese of Richmond
The Diocese of Richmond ( la, Diœcesis Richmondiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, ...
in Virginia from 1958 to 1973. He previously served as bishop of the
Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Roman Catholic Church in the Southern United States that comprises the entire state of South Carolina. Currently, the diocese consists of 96 parishes an ...
in South Carolina from 1950 to 1958.
Biography
Early life
John Russell was born on December 1, 1897, in
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, to John and Mary (née Joyce) Russell. His relative,
William Russell, had previously served as bishop of Charleston.
John Russell attended
Calvert Hall College High School
Calvert Hall College High School (also known as "Calvert Hall" or "CHC") is a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland, United States. The school's mission is to make its students "men of intellect, men of f ...
and
Loyola High School, both in
Towson, Maryland
Towson () is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Baltimore County and the second-most populous unincorpo ...
. From 1912 to 1917, he studied at
St. Charles College in Ellicott City, Maryland. Russell earned his
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree from
St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore in 1919, and a
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Doctor, abbreviated STD), also sometimes known as Professor of Sacred Theology (, abbreviated STP), is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church, ...
degree from the
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urban University, also called the ''Urbaniana'' after its names in both Latin and Italian,; it, Pontificia Università Urbaniana. is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of People ...
in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
in 1923.
Priesthood
John Russell was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
to the priesthood in Rome by Bishop
William Thomas Russell for the
Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore ( la, link=no, Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis) is the premier (or first) see of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore and nine of Mar ...
on July 8, 1923. Following his return to Baltimore, John Russell served as a
curate
A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...
at St. Martin Parish from1923 to 1937. He also served as diocesan director of Catholic Big Brothers and of the Holy Name Societies from 1927 to 1946). From 1929 to 1946, he was diocesan director of the
Catholic Evidence Guild
The Catholic Evidence Guild is a loose international association of Roman Catholic lay volunteers which seeks to research and present clear and compelling explanations of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. Their objective is to address inco ...
.
Russell served as
pastor
A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
of St. Ursula Parish in Baltimore from 1937 to 1946, and was named a
domestic prelate
Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...
by the Vatican in 1945. Russell then served as pastor of
St. Patrick Parish in Washington, D.C. from 1946 to 1948 and as diocesan director of
Catholic Charities
The Catholic Church operates numerous charitable organizations.
Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel, while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick, the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spir ...
(1946–1950). From 1948 to 1950, he was pastor of the Church of the Nativity.
Bishop of Charleston
On January 28, 1950, Russell was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Charleston by
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
. He received his
episcopal consecration
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...
on March 14, 1950, from Archbishop
Amleto Cicognani
Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (24 February 1883 – 17 December 1973) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Vatican Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969, and Dean of the College of Cardinals from 1972 until his death. C ...
, with Archbishop
Patrick O'Boyle and Bishop
John Michael McNamara
John Michael McNamara (August 12, 1878 – November 26, 1960) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 1927 to 1947 and of the Archdiocese of Washington
The ...
serving as
co-consecrators
A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop.
The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, ...
.
Bishop of Richmond
Russell was named the as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Richmond by Pius XII on July 3, 1958; he was installed on September 30, 1958. From 1962 to 1965, Russell attended the
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
in Rome. In implementing the
Council's reforms, Russell established a diocesan Commission on
Ecumenical Affairs in 1963, and a diocesan
Pastoral Council and a Council of Priests in 1966. A champion of
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
, he had the parents of prospective students for
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
's
Catholic school
Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...
s be interviewed for signs of
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
.
Russell's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Richmond was accepted by
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...
on April 28, 1973. John Russell died on March 17, 1993, at
St. Joseph's Home in Richmond at age 95. Russell was a schoolmate of
Francis J. Parater
Francis Joseph Parater (October 10, 1897 – February 7, 1920) was an American Catholic seminarian from the Diocese of Richmond in Virginia who died of rheumatic fever at the age of 22 during his theological studies in Rome. He was nominated for ...
, now a
Servant of God
"Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint.
Terminology
The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in th ...
. According to the Pecorelli's list, bsp. John J. Russel was a member of Freemasonry, he and Cardinal Bernadine celebrate the 'Throne of Prince' on June/29/1963 in South Carolina at the same time with a group of Freemasony in the St. Paul Chappel in Vatican.
[Windswept house 1996 edition Page 8]
References
External links
Catholic-Hierarchy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, John Joyce
1897 births
1993 deaths
20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
Participants in the Second Vatican Council
Pontifical Urban University alumni
Religious leaders from Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
Roman Catholic bishops of Richmond
Roman Catholic bishops of Charleston
St. Mary's Seminary and University alumni