Michael J. Fitzgerald (bishop)

For other people named Michael Fitzgerald, see Michael Fitzgerald (disambiguation).
His Excellency, The Most Reverend
Michael Joseph Fitzgerald
Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia
Titular Bishop of Tamallula

Michael Fitzgerald
Archdiocese Philadelphia
Appointed June 22, 2010
Installed August 6, 2010
Other posts Titular Bishop of Tamallula
Orders
Ordination May 17, 1980
by John Krol
Consecration August 6, 2010
by Justin Francis Rigali, John Patrick Foley, and Joseph Robert Cistone
Personal details
Born (1948-05-23) May 23, 1948
Montclair, New Jersey
Motto PER CRUCEM AD LUCEM
Styles of
Michael Joseph Fitzgerald
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Michael Joseph Fitzgerald (born May 23, 1948) is an American Roman Catholic priest. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI on June 22, 2010[1] and consecrated on August 6, 2010.

Biography

Early life and education

Michael Fitzgerald was born in Montclair, New Jersey, the second of nine children of Edwin and Dorothy (née Bogart) Fitzgerald.[2] He and his family moved to Pennsylvania when he was a young boy, first to Southwest Philadelphia and then to King of Prussia.[3] He received his early education at the parochial schools of St. Clement Church in Philadelphia and St. Augustine Church in Bridgeport.[1] He attended Bishop Kenrick High School in Norristown from 1962 to 1966.[1]

He graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1970, and earned a Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law in 1973.[4] He served as a judicial clerk in the Court of Common Pleas in Montgomery County from 1973 to 1975, and then worked in private practice.[2] After feeling called to the priesthood, he consulted his pastor and then entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook in 1975.[2] He earned a Master of Divinity degree from St. Charles in 1980.[4]

Ordination and ministry

On May 17, 1980, Fitzgerald was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Cardinal John Krol.[5] His first assignment was as a parochial vicar at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Roxborough, where he remained for one year.[4] He then served at St. Callistus Church in Philadelphia from 1981 to 1982.[1] He was the defender of the bond (1982-1983) and a judge (1983-1987) on the Metropolitan Tribunal.[1] During his tenure on the tribunal, he resided at Immaculate Conception Parish in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia.[4]

Fitzgerald then furthered his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1989.[2] In 1991, he received a Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.[2] Following his return to Philadelphia, he served as the first director of the Archdiocesan Office for Legal Services from 1991 to 2004.[3] During his tenure as director, he resided at St. Thomas Aquinas Church and afterwards at Annunciation B.V.M. Church, both in South Philadelphia.[3] He was named a Chaplain of His Holiness on March 24, 2003.[1]

From 2004 to 2007, Fitzgerald was vice-rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.[4] As vice-rector, he also served as chairman of the Admissions Committee.[3] He became judicial vicar of the archdiocese in 2007, holding that office until 2010.[1] During his three-year tenure, he resided at St. Patrick's Church in Philadelphia.[4] He also served as a member of the College of Consultors, Priests Personnel Board, and Priests' Counsel, and a chaplain to the Serra Club of Philadelphia and to the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters.[4]

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

On June 22, 2010, Fitzgerald was appointed auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia and titular bishop of Tamallula by Pope Benedict XVI.[5] He received his episcopal consecration on August 6, 2010 from Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.[5] in a joint consecration with John J. McIntyre, also made an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia at the same time.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NOMINA DI AUSILIARE DI PHILADELPHIA (U.S.A.)". Vatican Information Service. 2010-06-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chicoine, Christie L. (2004-07-15). "Serra chaplain of year follows love of God, law". The Catholic Standard & Times.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hoare, Patrick T. (Winter 2005). "PROFILE: REV. MSGR. MICHAEL J. FITZGERALD, VICE RECTOR, ST. CHARLES BORROMEO SEMINARY" (PDF). The Brook.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Curriculm Vitae of Bishop-Elect Michael J. Fitzgerald". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bishop Michael Joseph Fitzgerald". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  6. ↑ http://catholicphilly.com/2010/08/news/two-bishops-ordained-for-archdiocese/
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
–		 Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia
2010–present 		Incumbent


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