Joseph Thomas McGucken

Joseph Thomas McGucken (March 13, 1902 – October 6, 1983) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California (1941–1955), coadjutor bishop and bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento in California (1955–1962) and archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco in California (1962–1977).

Biography

Early life Joseph McGucken was born on March 13, 1902, in Los Angeles, California, to Joseph A. and Mary Agnes (née Flynn) McGucken. He continued his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he obtained a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1928.

Following his return to Los Angeles, he served as secretary to Bishop (later Archbishop) John Joseph Cantwell from 1929 to 1938.

When Bishop Robert Armstrong died on January 14, 1957, McGucken automatically succeeded him. In his five years as bishop, he authorized, built or approved for development nine parishes, three high schools, 33 new church buildings and one minor seminary.

Archbishop of San Francisco On February 19, 1962, McGucken was appointed archbishop of San Francisco by Pope John XXIII; McGucken was installed on April 3, 1962.

In 1966, McGucken publicly voiced his support for the efforts of Cesar Chávez to organize farmworkers in California's vineyards. McGucken's stand led one vineyard spokesman to warn that "the Church leaders had better start looking for other financial means to carry out their radical theories."

Retirement and legacy On February 16, 1977, Pope Paul VI accepted McGucken's resignation as archbishop of San Francisco. Thomas McGucken died on October 6, 1983. He is buried in the Archbishops' Crypt at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.

In 1994, Terence McAteer made public an accusation that he was raped in 1967 when he was ten-years-old by Reverend Austin Peter Keegan, a priest in the archdiocese. McAteer had reported the rape in 1976 to Reverend Vincent Ring, who informed McGucken. Three years later, Keegan sexually assaulted another boy.

Clashes with Reverend Eugene Boyle

Reverend Eugene Boyle was a priest directly under McGucken's authority in San Francisco during McGucken's tenure as archbishop. While not antagonistic to Boyle (in fact the two always remained respectful of each other), Boyle and McGucken did clash over a number of issues. Boyle was an explicitly progressive priest during the 1960s and 1970s. Inspired by the Second Vatican Council of the early 1960s. Boyle campaigned on behalf of San Francisco's African American community as well as engaging with the American Civil Rights Movement. He also supported the United Farm Workers and the Black Panther Party.

McGurken did not oppose the right of priests such as Boyle to support social justice movements. However, when Boyle was involved in a number of controversies and conservative sections of the Californian public pushed back against him, McGucken tried to err on the side of caution and sided against Boyle. The back and forth between Boyle and McGucken would dominate much of McGucken's term as archbishop.