James Vincent Casey

James Vincent Casey (September 22, 1914 – March 14, 1986) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Lincoln, in Nebraska (1957–1967) and archbishop of Denver in Colorado (1967–1986).

Biography

Early life and education The youngest of two children, James Casey was born on September 22, 1914, in Osage, Iowa, to James Gordon Casey and Nina (née Nims) Casey. His father was a Democratic Party member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1933 to 1935.

James Casey the younger attended Osage High School, where he was class president and captain of the football team. He then enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1936. After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Casey in 1940 as curate at St. John Parish in Independence, Iowa. The Southern Nebraska Register declared that Casey "accomplished more for the Diocese of Lincoln in 10 years than any other comparable period in our history." Among these efforts was the Samaritan House Homeless Shelter in Denver.; He created the archdiocesan Office of Hispanic Concerns in 1968, later raising it to the vicariate level in 1981.

An opponent of American participation in the Vietnam War, Casey encouraged US President Richard Nixon to "set a definite date for the withdrawal of our American military personnel from Vietnam at the earliest possible moment." In 1972, Casey moved out of the episcopal mansion in Cheesman Park in Denver and into a penthouse at the Park Lane Apartments in Washington Park. He gave greater power to laity and nuns, and was forced to close or consolidate several Catholic schools. He joined the Colorado Council of Churches, and allowed Catholics to participate in the crusades of the evangelist Billy Graham. During his 19-year-long tenure, Casey dedicated a total of twenty-four parishes. He also increased the number of priests from 327 to 356, and the number of Catholics from 261,844 to 330,270.

Death and legacy While playing golf in October 1984, Casey collapsed from a ruptured artery in his abdomen. He suffered several setbacks during a long recovery, and delegated the administration of the archdiocese to his vicar general. On March 1, 1986, Casey was stricken with a cerebral aneurysm at his residence and then taken unconscious to St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. He underwent surgery the next day to remove a blood clot from his brain. Never regaining consciousness, James Casey died on March 14, 1986, at age 71.

Following his death, Colorado Governor Richard Lamm declared, "[Casey] didn't just talk about the relevance of religious belief, he lived it."