Edward Fitzgerald

Edward Mary Fitzgerald (October 28, 1833—February 21, 1907) was an Irish-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock in Arkansas from 1867 until his death in 1907.

Biography

Early life Edward Fitzgerald was born on October 28, 1833, in Limerick, Ireland, to James and Joanna (née Pratt) Fitzgerald. He was one of eight children one of whom, Joseph, also became a priest. In 1849, the family immigrated to the United States due to the Great Famine of Ireland. Deciding to become a priest, Fitzgerald attended St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary at Perryville, Missouri, from 1850 to 1852. Fitzgerald completed his theological studies at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio and at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Priesthood Fitzgerald was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell in Cincinnati on August 22, 1857. His first, and only pastoral assignment. was pastor of St. Patrick's Parish in Columbus, Ohio, where he mediated a divisive ethnic schism between the Irish and German immigrants.

Bishop of Little Rock

On April 24, 1866, Fitzgerald was appointed the second bishop of Little Rock by Pope Pius IX. Fitzgerald initially refused the appointment, but was commanded by Pius IX to accept it in December 1866. He received his episcopal consecration on February 3, 1867, from Purcell, with Bishops John Lynch and Sylvester Rosecrans serving as co-consecrators, at St. Patrick's Church. While he believed in the theological grounds for infallibility, he feared that its dogmatic definition would hamper the conversion of non-Catholics in Arkansas. Fitzgerald also suffered from depression, once writing, "I find in me a growing dislike in making exertions of any kind, a bad sign in me, no longer a young man...I am overwhelmed with despondency and gloom."

Death and legacy Edward Fitzgerald died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on February 20, 1907, at age 73. He is buried in a crypt under the Cathedral of St. Andrew.