John Francis Dearden

John Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907 – August 1, 1988) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Detroit in Michigan from 1958 to 1980, and was created a cardinal in 1969. He previously served as bishop of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania from 1950 to 1958. During his tenure in Pittsburgh, Dearden earned the nickname "Iron John" for his stern manner of administration.

In Detroit, Dearden was active in community causes, supporting equal employment opportunities and better racial relations in the city. He played an influential role at the Second Vatican Council in Rome. Dearden also served as the first president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Early life and education John Dearden was born on October 15, 1907, in Valley Falls, Rhode Island, the eldest of five children of John Sidney and Agnes (née Gregory) Dearden. He received his early education at the parochial school of Holy Trinity Parish in Central Falls. At age 11, Dearden and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He continued his education at St. Philomena School in East Cleveland, Ohio, and then attended Cathedral Latin High School in Chardon, Ohio, from 1921 to 1925. He earned a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian in 1934. In 1952, he issued new regulations on interfaith marriages. He allowed priests to officiate marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics in Catholic churches. However, he insisted that his actions, "...must not be understood as mitigating in any degree the general rule of the church that is opposed in principle to such unions." The Vatican named Dearden as an assistant at the pontifical throne in 1957.

In 1965, Dearden partnered with Cardinal Joseph Ritter to inaugurate Project Equality. This was an interfaith program asking businesses to pledge to a policy of non-discrimination in hiring and discharging employees. As a member of the National Catholic Welfare Council, Dearden served as its treasurer, a member of its administrative board, and chair of its Committee on the Liturgical Apostolate. Dearden's commitment to racial justice frequently put him at odds with some priests and lay Catholics at the parish level who organized to fight neighborhood racial integration. Dearden in 1967 concluded that "the Negro-white confrontation in American cities is in great part a Negro-Catholic confrontation."

Cardinal Pope Paul VI created Dearden as cardinal priest of the Church of San Pio X alla Balduina in Rome in the consistory of April 28, 1969.

Following the outbreak of the Watergate scandal in Washington, D.C. in 1973, Dearden issued a pastoral letter that stated, "These are difficult days for the country we love." He asked Catholics to observe the first three Fridays in November as days of prayer, penance and fasting in light of the nation's political turmoil. Dearden suffered a serious heart attack in April 1977. During the council, he became more progressive in his views, becoming known as a "favorite of the liberals in the church."

From 1966 to 1971, Dearden served as the first NCCB president. As president, Dearden was known as "the unobtrusive liberal" for his emphasis on governing through consensus.

Call to Action

After the Second Vatican Council, Dearden worked to establish a national pastoral council. Its purpose was to bring bishops, priests, religious, and lay people together to examine their "shared responsibility" on civic issues in the life of the Catholic Church.

A few years before the American Bicentennial in 1976, the NCCB named Dearden to head a committee that would formulate a Catholic contribution to this event. Its response was the Liberty and Justice for All Project, a vehicle for discussing peace and social justice issues. The New York Times speculated that in 1979 when Pope John Paul II came to New York City to address the United Nations, he "snubbed" Dearden by not scheduling a visit to Detroit. Instead, the pope met with Cardinal John Cody, "... whose conservatism the Pope found more to his liking." Despite his liberal outlook, Dearden refused to support the ordination of women as priests, citing "...too many theological objections".