Patrick Thomas O'Reilly (December 24, 1833 – May 28, 1892) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts from 1870 to 1892.

Biography

Early life

Patrick O'Reilly was born on December 24, 1833,"The First Bishop of Springfield", ''The National Magazine'', Volume 17, National History Company, 1893, p. vi
/ref> in

Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, the son of Philip and Mary Conaty O'Reilly. The family immigrated to

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

,. He attended St. Charles's College in

Ellicott City, Maryland Ellicott City is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, Howard County, Maryland, United States. Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its ...

to study classics, then studied

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland.

Priesthood

O'Reilly was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

to the priesthood for the

Archdiocese of Boston The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. Its mother church is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Boston), Cathedral o ...

at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on August 15, 1857, by Bishop David Bacon. After his ordination, O'Reilly served as assistant pastor at St. John's Parish in

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

. He then went back to Boston to organize St. Joseph's Parish there. In 1864, he returned to Worcester to serve as

pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...

of St. John's Parish.Cummings, Thomas. "Springfield." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 16 September 2021

Bishop of Springfield

Pope Pius IX appointed O'Reilly as the first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Springfield on June 18, 1870. He was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

on September 25, 1870, by Cardinal

John McCloskey John McCloskey (March 10, 1810 – October 10, 1885) was an Catholic Church in the United States, American Catholic prelate who served as the first American-born Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Archbishop of New York from 1864 until his ...

, the youngest bishop in the United States at age 37. During his time as bishop, the Catholic population of the diocese increased from 90,000 to 200,000; its priests from 43 to 196; its religious women from 12 to 321. O'Reilly laid the

cornerstone A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...

s of nearly 100 church, school or buildings. The

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

of the Sisters of Providence of

Holyoke Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,247. Loca ...

and the orphanages at

Holyoke, Massachusetts Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,247. Loca ...

, and

, were begun during his administration. O'Reilly persuaded the

Sisters of Charity Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity in their name. Some ''Sisters of Charity'' communities refer to the Vincentian tradition alone, or in America to the tradition of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (whose sisters are also of ...

and the

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (Congregationis Sororum a Domina Nostra Namurcensi) is a Catholic Church, Catholic Religious institute (Catholic), institute of religious sisters, founded to teaching order, provide education to the poor. The i ...

to set up congregations in the diocese. Mercy Hospital in Springfield developed from a

mission of the

Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul are an apostolic congregation of vowed women religious, who rely on and proclaim the Divine providence, Providence of God. They are the only religious congregation founded in Kingston, Ontario. H ...

. According to author Stephen Kiltonic, O'Reilly was described as tall with "very kind gray eyes that would twinkle with humor". "The old folks, who remember him, speak of his quiet but convincing eloquence, his constant affability and kindness, his abiding trust in God that, to every cloud, gave a silver lining."Kiltonic, Stephen. "History of the Diocese", 150th Anniversary Celebration
/ref> Author William Byrne described O'Reilly as a supportive manager of his priests, allowing them to make decisions on their own. Patrick O’Reilly died in Springfield of

nephritis Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys and may involve the glomeruli, tubules, or interstitial tissue surrounding the glomeruli and tubules. It is one of several different types of nephropathy. Types * Glomerulonephritis is inflammation ...

on May 28, 1892; businesses in Springfield closed for the day. He was buried in the vault below St. Michael's Cathedral in Springfield.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oreilly, Patrick Thomas 1833 births 1892 deaths St. Charles College (Maryland) alumni St. Mary's Seminary and University alumni Christian clergy from County Cavan 19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Roman Catholic bishops of Springfield in Massachusetts Irish emigrants to the United States