John Patrick Cody (December 24, 1907 – April 25, 1982) was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
bishop and cardinal 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 ...
. A native of
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, he served as
Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph (1956–1961),
Archbishop of New Orleans
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans ( la, Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, french: Archidiocèse de la Nouvelle-Orléans, es, Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleans) is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church spanning Jeffers ...
(1964–1965), and
Archbishop of Chicago (1965–1982). He was named a
cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
in 1967.
Biography
Early life and education
John Cody was born in
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, Missouri, to Thomas Joseph and Mary (née Begley) Cody.
His father was an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
immigrant who became deputy chief of the
St Louis Fire Department. After attending Holy Rosary Parochial School, he entered
St. Louis Preparatory Seminary at age 13.
He remained at St. Louis until 1926, when he was sent to continue his studies at the
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College (NAC) is a Catholic Church, Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy, that prepares seminarians to become priests in the United States and elsewhere. The NAC also provides a residence for Pri ...
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 ...
.
[ He earned a ]Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...
degree (1928) 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, ...
(1932) from the College of the Propagation of the Faith.[
]
Priesthood
Cody 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 by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani
Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani (1 October 1871 – 13 January 1951) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Vicar General of Rome, Secretary of the Holy Of ...
on December 8, 1931. He remained in Rome for the next six years as a staff member of the North American College and an official of the Vatican Secretariat of State
The Secretariat of State (Latin: ''Secretaria Status''; Italian: ''Segreteria di Stato'') is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the central papal governing bureaucracy of the Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State ...
.[ In 1938, he earned a ]Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law ( la, Juris Canonici Doctor, JCD) is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. It can also be an honorary degree awarded by Anglican colleges. It may also be abbreviated ICD ...
degree from the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum ''S. Apollinare'', and was awarded the Benemerenti medal for his services to the Secretariat of State.[ Upon his return to the United States, Cody served as ]private secretary
A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister; or a public servant in a royal household, responsible to a member of the royal family.
The role exists in t ...
to Archbishop John J. Glennon until 1940, when he became chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of the Archdiocese of St. Louis
The Archdiocese of St. Louis ( la, Archidiœcesis Sancti Ludovici) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that covers the City of St. Louis and the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Perr ...
.[ He was named a privy chamberlain in 1939 and a domestic prelate in 1946.][ He accompanied Archbishop Glennon to Rome when the latter was named a ]cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
, and was on hand when Glennon died on the return trip.
Episcopacy
On May 10, 1947, Cody was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis and Titular Bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of Apollonia 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
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
on the following July 2 from Archbishop Joseph Ritter
Joseph Elmer Ritter (July 20, 1892 – June 10, 1967) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in Missouri from 1946 until his death in 1967, and was created a cardinal in 19 ...
, with bishops George Joseph Donnelly George Joseph Donnelly (April 23, 1889 – December 13, 1950) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Leavenworth (1946–1947) and the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas (1947–1950).
Biogra ...
and Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Vincent Stanislaus Waters (August 15, 1904—December 3, 1974) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina from 1945 until his death in 1974.
Biography
Early life and ...
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, ...
, at the Cathedral of St. Louis.[ He was appointed ]coadjutor The term coadjutor (or coadiutor, literally "co-assister" in Latin) is a title qualifier indicating that the holder shares the office with another person, with powers equal to the other in all but formal order of precedence.
These include:
* Coadj ...
to the Bishop of Saint Joseph, Missouri, on January 27, 1954. He was appointed Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph, Missouri, on August 29, 1956, and installed October 11, 1956. In 1961, he was transferred to , Louisiana, where he was appointed coadjutor to the archbishop on August 14, 1961, appointed apostolic administrator
An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...
on June 1, 1962, and acceded to the See of New Orleans on November 8, 1964. According to James Ralph, he became an object of national attention as archbishop, due to his predecessor Joseph Rummel's efforts to desegregate the Catholic schools in the archdiocese. Cody was opposed to integrating the schools but did not stop the efforts. However, Cody was quoted as saying, "The Church's role will be most important and It is definitely felt by many experts in the field of community relations that the Catholic Church will continue to be one of the most potent influences in bringing about racial understanding and brotherly love among all races. This was one of the salient points in the encyclical, "Pacem in Terris.” The ecumenical council, showing to the world the spirit of unity and harmony among all Catholics, has been felt appreciably in the present racial crisis in our country. Through its schools and institutions of higher learning, most of which have become fully integrated. the Church can contribute greatly to the development and understanding among all people in the South." Upon the cities construction projects for integrated schools; "The construction of these schools has helped considerably in bringing an acceptance of the Catholic Church's teaching on the equality of all men.
/ref>
Archbishop of Chicago
Mismanagement
Cody was appointed Archbishop of Chicago, on June 14, 1965, and installed August 24, 1965. He was elevated to cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
on June 26, 1967. Cody's time in Chicago was marked by strife and controversy, including federal investigations of financial improprieties and an ambiguous relationship with Helen Dolan Wilson, who was alleged to be his mistress. Wilson, who "followed (Cody's) every move" for a period of some 25 years, was alleged to have received large sums of money diverted by Cody, some of which were used to purchase "a house in Boca Raton ... a luxury car, expensive clothes and furs, and holiday cash presents."
Despite the fact that approximately $1 million of Church funds disappeared under Cody's tenure, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops lost more than $4 million in a single year while Cody was treasurer of that organization, all investigations were suspended upon Cody's death.
Roy Larsen, the religion editor of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' wrote:"Legally, the investigations by the paper and the federal prosecutors ended inconclusively. In that sense, the legal tactics followed by Cody and his lawyers--chiefly a strategy of delays and stalling--succeeded in preventing any indictments. Eight months before the first story was published, the US Attorney's office issued subpoenas to Cody and the archdiocese, but the information that was sought was never turned over to the government. Even after the series was published, the stonewalling continued. A new US Attorney, Dan K. Webb, Dan Webb, had taken over the investigation and issued new subpoenas, but Frank McGarr, the chief judge of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, did nothing to move the case along. Finally, the Cardinal's health became an issue. On April 25, 1982, he died, and in July 1982, Webb terminated the investigation, stating: "Once the cardinal passed on, the investigation as to the allegations against the cardinal became moot."[Roy Larsen]
"In the 1980s, a Chicago Newspaper Investigated Cardinal Cody"
''Nieman Reports'', Spring 2003; retrieved June 26, 2009.
Cody often found his view of episcopal authority in conflict with a number of priests of his diocese. He was opposed to some of the decisions of Apostolic Delegate Jean Jadot
Jean Jadot (23 November 1909 – 21 January 2009) was a Belgian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as apostolic delegate to the United States (the first non-Italian to do so) from 1973 to 1980, and President of the Secretariat for ...
and led a protest campaign against what he felt was his excessive progressivism and radicalism.
Racism
Cody butted heads with Fr George Clements
George Harold Clements (January 26, 1932 – November 25, 2019) was a Black Catholic priest who, in 1981, became the first Catholic priest in the Chicago area to adopt a child. He was also instrumental in the Black Catholic Movement, which so ...
for similar reasons, as local Black Catholics sought more Black representation in the local pastorate
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 ...
, especially at Black parishes. Cody circumvented requests for Clements to be named pastor of his parish by placing a different Black priest as pastor there, a pastorally inexperienced Fr Rollins Lambert. He thought he would appease the community since he appointed a Black priest, but they were frustrated with an explicit attempt to avoid appointing a well known Black activist. A series of racially-charged town hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
meetings that followed eventually resulted in Fr Lambert opposing Cody's leadership—agreeing with Clements and others that he was a (perhaps unintentional) "racist
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 ...
"—and requesting for Clements to be made pastor. Cody eventually conceded.
The desire for (and often "ask questions later" nature of) inculturation
In Christianity, inculturation is the adaptation of Christian teachings and practices to cultures. This is a term that is generally used by Catholics, whereas Protestantism, Protestants, especially associated with the World Council of Churches, p ...
by these same Black Catholics also aggravated Cody, who opposed many of the desired (and sometimes brazenly implemented) changes. In one instance, Clements replaced a statue at his parish of St Anthony of Padua with an altar to Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
, which Clements attempted to justify by using the concept of popular acclaim. Cody did not budge and threatened to withdraw archdiocesan funds from the parish if the St Anthony statue was not returned to its place. Clements, a close friend of many Black Panthers
The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxism-Leninism, Marxist-Leninist and Black Power movement, black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. New ...
(including Fred Hampton
Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. (August 30, 1948 – December 4, 1969) was an American activist. He came to prominence in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party and chair of the Illinois chapter. As a progressive African Ame ...
, his personal mentee), informed Cody he would have to come do it himself, but that he (Clements) would not be able to protect him if he did so. The statue remained. Eventually Cody did withdraw financial support from Clements' parish and they operated for a time via fundraisers and special appeals.
Later life and death
The opposition to Cody's leadership waned as his health declined in the early 1980s. He was succeeded in the summer of 1982 by the markedly progressive Joseph Bernardin
Joseph Louis Bernardin (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 until 1982, and as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996 from ...
. Cody died that year at the age of 74 and was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery (Hillside, Illinois)
Mount Carmel Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery located in the Chicago suburb of Hillside, Illinois. Mount Carmel is an active cemetery, located within the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. It is located near the Eisen ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cody, John
1907 births
1982 deaths
20th-century American cardinals
Roman Catholic archbishops of Chicago
Roman Catholic archbishops of New Orleans
American Roman Catholic clergy of Irish descent
Roman Catholic bishops of Kansas City–Saint Joseph
People from Chicago
People from New Orleans
Clergy from St. Louis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
Burials at the Bishop's Mausoleum, Mount Carmel Cemetery (Hillside)
Participants in the Second Vatican Council
Cardinals created by Pope Paul VI
Recipients of the Benemerenti medal