Thomas James Wade (August 4, 1893 – June 11, 1969) was a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

bishop. Born in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...

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, Wade was ordain a priest on June 15, 1922, for the Society of Mary. On July 3, 1930, Wade was appointed bishop for the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands,

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

, and auxiliary bishop of ''Barbalissus.'' Wade was ordained bishop on October 14, 1930; he resigned on June 14, 1960. As the first native English speaking Catholic bishop in the Pacific missions, Wade was able to secure strong support from Australia and the United States and his mission was successful despite major disruption during the Japanese occupation.

Notes

1893 births 1969 deaths Clergy from Providence, Rhode Island American Roman Catholic missionaries 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Oceania Roman Catholic bishops of Bougainville 20th-century American clergy {{US-RC-bishop-stub