John William Shaw (December 12, 1863 – November 2, 1934) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Antonio (1911–1918) and Archbishop of New Orleans (1918–1934).

Biography

One of six children, Shaw was born in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

to Patrick and Elizabeth (née Smith) Shaw. He was a pupil at the parochial school of St Vincent de Paul Church and the academy of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in his native city. He later was sent, with one of his brothers, to St Finian's Seminary at Navan, County Meath, Ireland. He studied at the Urban College of Propaganda and

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 in 1882–1888. On May 26, 1888, he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Lucido Parocchi at the

Basilica of St John Lateran The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran ( it, Arcibasilica del Santissimo Salvatore e dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano), also known as the Papa ...

. Upon returning to the Diocese of Mobile, Shaw 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 Immaculate Conception Cathedral until 1889, when he was transferred t
St Peter's Church
in Montgomery. In 1891, he returned to Immaculate Conception Cathedral as its

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

. He served as

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 diocese from 1898 to 1910. On February 7, 1910, Shaw was appointed titular bishop of '' Castabala'' and

coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...

of the Diocese of San Antonio in Texas by

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...

. He received his

episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

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 April 14 from Archbishop James Blenk, S.M., with Bishops Edward Patrick Allen and

Cornelius Van de Ven Cornelius Van de Ven (June 16, 1865 – May 8, 1932) was a Dutch-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the fourth Bishop of Alexandria in Louisiana from 1910 until his death in 1932. He previously served as bishop of 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, ...

. Due to the declining health of Bishop John Anthony Forest, he was made apostolic administrator of the diocese on May 18, 1910. Upon Bishop Forest's death on March 11, 1911, Shaw succeeded him as the fourth Bishop of San Antonio. His efforts to provide relief to

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

refugees in Texas caused the

Archbishop of Mexico City The Archdiocese of Mexico ( la, Archidioecesis Mexicanensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that is situated in Mexico City, Mexico. It was erected as a diocese on 2 September 1530 and elevated to ...

to make Shaw an honorary canon of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1915, Shaw opened St John's Seminary in his personal residence. While in San Antonio, he also restored and reopened several historic Spanish missions. On January 25, 1918, Shaw was appointed the eighth Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana by Pope Benedict XV. He was the first American-born head of that archdiocese. He founded Notre Dame Seminary in 1923.

Death

Shaw died from a heart attack in 1934, aged 70.

Legacy

Archbishop Shaw High School Archbishop Shaw High School is an Archdiocesan school administered under the Salesians of St. John Bosco. It is approved by the Louisiana State Department of Education and the Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. Founded in 1962 ...

in Marrero, Louisiana was dedicated in his honor on August 19, 1962, in part for his work in the development of the Catholic community on the West Bank. He had dedicated Hope Haven Institute, an orphanage and foster home, on the property adjacent to the school in 1930.

References

Episcopal succession

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, John William 1863 births 1934 deaths Roman Catholic bishops of San Antonio Roman Catholic archbishops of New Orleans 20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United States People from New Orleans Pontifical North American College alumni