John James Joseph Monaghan

John James Joseph Monaghan (May 23, 1856 – January 7, 1935) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington in Delaware from 1897 to 1925.

Biography

Early life John Monaghan was born in 1856, in Sumter, South Carolina, to Thomas and Margaret (née Bogan) Monaghan, both Irish immigrants. He graduated from St. Charles College in Ellicott City, Maryland, in 1876, and then studied theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore. He first served as a curate at St. Joseph's Parish and afterwards at St. Patrick's Parish, both in Charleston.

Bishop of Wilmington On January 26, 1897, Monaghan was appointed the third bishop of Wilmington by Pope Leo XIII. He also was instrumental in the establishment of the Oblate Fathers' Salesianum School for boys in Wilmington, St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, and a home for the elderly.

Retirement On July 10, 1925, Pope Pius XI accepted Monaghan's resignation as bishop of Wilmington due to bad health and named him titular bishop of Lydda. John Monaghan died on January 7, 1935, at age 78 at St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington.