John W. Shanahan

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

John Walter Shanahan
Bishop of Harrisburg
SeeDiocese of Harrisburg
In office1899-1916
PredecessorThomas McGovern
SuccessorPhilip R. McDevitt
Orders
OrdinationJanuary 2, 1869
by Jeremiah F. Shanahan
ConsecrationMay 1, 1900
by Patrick John Ryan
Personal details
Born(1846-01-03)January 3, 1846
Silver Lake, Pennsylvania
DiedFebruary 19, 1916(1916-02-19) (aged 70)
DenominationRoman Catholic
ParentsJohn and Margaret (née Donovan) Shanahan
EducationSt. Charles Borromeo Seminary

John Walter Shanahan (January 3, 1846 – February 19, 1916) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania from 1899 until his death in 1916.

Biography

Early life

John Shanahan was born in Silver Lake, Pennsylvania, to John and Margaret (née Donovan) Shanahan, who immigrated to the United States from County Cork, Ireland.[1] He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.

Shanahan was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by his brother, Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan, on January 2, 1869.[2] He served as superintendent of Catholic schools in the archdiocese.[3]

Bishop of Harrisburg

On January 2, 1899, Shanahan was appointed the third bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg by Pope Leo XIII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on May 1, 1899, from Archbishop Patrick Ryan, with Bishops Ignatius Horstmann and Edmond Prendergast serving as co-consecrators.[2] His brother Jeremiah was the first to hold that office, serving between 1868 and his death in 1886.[3][2]

During his 16-year-long tenure, Shanahan erected 27 new parishes and increased the number of priests from 74 to 120.[4] He opened an orphanage for girls at Sylvan Heights and a protectory for boys at Abbottstown, Pennsylvania, and completed construction on the Cathedral of St. Patrick in 1907.[4] In 1907 he founded the Sisters of Saint Casimir. He also established the motherhouses of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood and the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and invited to the diocese the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Joseph and the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Scranton.[2]

John Shanahan died on February 19, 1916, at age 70.[2]

Legacy

Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown, Pennsylvania was named in honor of Shanahan.

References

  1. ^ Clarke, Richard Henry. Lives of the Deceased Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Bishop John Walter Shanahan". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
  3. ^ a b "Diocese of Harrisburg". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  4. ^ a b "Diocesan History". Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg. Archived from the original on 2010-09-21.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Harrisburg
1899—1916 		Succeeded by