John Joseph Fitzpatrick

John Joseph Fitzpatrick (October 12, 1918 – July 15, 2006) was a Canadian-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami in Florida from 1968 to 1971 and as the third bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville in Texas from 1971 to 1991.

Fitzpatrick was described as a strong advocate for the poor and for refugees.

Biography

Early life John Fitzpatrick was born in Trenton, Ontario, Canada on October 12, 1918. When he was age five, his family moved to Buffalo, New York. He attended Catholic schools throughout high school. He went to Rome to study for the priesthood, but was forced to return to the United States in 1942 due to World War II. After the war, Fitzpatrick went back to Rome to complete his studies.

Auxiliary Bishop of Miami Fitzpatrick was appointed by Pope Paul VI as auxiliary bishop of what was now the Archdiocese of Miami and titular bishop of Cenae on June 24, 1968.

Retirement and legacy On November 30, 1991, Pope John Paul II accepted Fitzpatrick's resignation as bishop of Brownsville.

John Fitzpatrick died in Brownsville on July 15, 2006, at age 87.