William Hafey

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

William Joseph Hafey
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; William Joseph Hafey
Bishop of Scranton; Titular Bishop of Appia
See	Diocese of Scranton
Predecessor	Thomas Charles O'Reilly
Successor	Jerome Daniel Hannan
Orders
Ordination	June 16, 1914; by Owen Patrick Bernard Corrigan
Consecration	June 24, 1925; by Michael Joseph Curley
Personal details
Born	March 19, 1888; Chicopee, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	May 12, 1954 (aged 66); Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Education	College of the Holy Cross (AB); Georgetown University; Mount St. Mary's University
Motto	Emitte Spiritum Tuum; (Send forth thy spirit)

William Joseph Hafey (March 19, 1888 – May 12, 1954) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina (1925–1937) and bishop of the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania (1938–1954).

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

William Hafey was born on March 19, 1888, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, to James and Catherine (née Mulcahy) Hafey. He attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1909. From 1909 to 1910, he studied at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., then attended Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.^[1]

Priesthood[edit]

Hafey was ordained to the priesthood at Mount St. Mary's by Bishop Owen Corrigan for the Archdiocese of Baltimore on June 16, 1914.^[2] After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Hafey served as a curate at St. Joseph's Parish in Baltimore. In 1920, he was appointed chancellor of the archdiocese.^[1]

Bishop of Raleigh[edit]

On April 6, 1925, Hafey was appointed the first bishop of Raleigh by Pope Pius XI.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on June 24, 1925, from Archbishop Michael Curley at the Baltimore Cathedral. Bishops Thomas O'Leary and Michael Keyes were co-consecrators.^[2]

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Scranton[edit]

Hafey was named coadjutor bishop of Scranton and titular bishop of Appia on October 2, 1937 by Pius IX. Haley automatically succeeded Bishop Thomas O'Reilly as the fourth bishop of Scranton on March 25, 1938.^[2] Hafey created new parishes, multiplied the number of buildings, and increased the number of priests and religious.^[3] He was also dedicated to social needs such as education, healthcare, and youth activities.^[3]

Death and legacy[edit]

William Hafey died in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on May 12, 1954, at age 66.^[2]

Bishop Hafey High School in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, was named in his memory.
In 1958, the newly established Knights of Columbus Bishop Hafey Council 4507 of High Point, North Carolina was named in memory of Hafey.
Hafey Hall at the University of Scranton is named after him.^[4]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Curtis, Georgina Pell (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. VII. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Bishop William Joseph Hafey [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^ ^a ^b "Bishop William J. Hafey: 1937-1954". Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
^ "The Campus - Honoring Scranton Bishops, Church, and Jesuits". www.scranton.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-16.

External links[edit]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Thomas Charles O'Reilly	Bishop of Scranton 1938-1954	Succeeded by Jerome Daniel Hannan
New creation	Bishop of Raleigh 1925-1937	Succeeded by Eugene J. McGuinness

[curtis-1] Curtis, Georgina Pell (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. VII. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.

[:0-2] "Bishop William Joseph Hafey [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-05-16.

[diocese-3] "Bishop William J. Hafey: 1937-1954". Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-08-18.

[4] "The Campus - Honoring Scranton Bishops, Church, and Jesuits". www.scranton.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-16.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton
Bishops	Ordinaries William O'Hara Michael John Hoban Thomas Charles O'Reilly William Joseph Hafey Jerome Daniel Hannan Joseph Carroll McCormick John Joseph O'Connor James Clifford Timlin Joseph Francis Martino Joseph Charles Bambera Auxiliary bishops Andrew James Louis Brennan Martin John O'Connor Henry Theophilus Klonowski James Clifford Timlin Francis X. DiLorenzo John M. Dougherty Diocesan priests who became bishops Eugene A. Garvey Joseph R. Kopacz Jeffrey Walsh
Churches	Cathedral St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton Basilica Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann, Scranton Parishes St. Gabriel's Catholic Parish Complex, Hazleton Parishes, former St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Wilkes-Barre
Education	Higher education King's College Marywood University Misericordia University University of Scranton High schools Holy Cross High School, Dunmore Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre Notre Dame High School, East Stroudsburg Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School, Williamsport High schools, closed South Scranton Catholic High School
Miscellany	St. Stanislaus Institute, Newport Township
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
Ordinaries	Bishops William Hafey Eugene J. McGuinness Vincent Stanislaus Waters F. Joseph Gossman Michael Francis Burbidge Luis R. Zarama
Churches	Cathedral Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral Basilica Basilica Shrine of St. Mary, Wilmington Parishes St. Michael the Archangel Church, Cary Immaculate Conception Church, Durham Immaculate Conception Church, Halifax St. Paul's Church, New Bern St. Raphael the Archangel Church, Raleigh St. Catherine of Siena, Wake Forest Chapel Sacred Heart Church, Raleigh
Education	High schools Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School, Durham John Paul II Catholic High School, Greenville Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh St. Thomas More Academy, Raleigh
Priests	Bernard Shlesinger Casey Cole
Catholicism portal