Patrick Anthony Ludden

Patrick Anthony Ludden (February 4, 1836 – August 6, 1912) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Syracuse in New York from 1887 until his death in 1912.

Biography

Early life Patrick Ludden was born on February 4, 1836, in Breaffy, near Castlebar, County Mayo, in Ireland to Anthony and Ellen (née Fitzgerald) Ludden. He graduated from St. Jarlath's College in Tuam, Ireland in 1861. Ludden then went to Canada to enter the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec.

Priesthood After completing his theological studies, Ludden was ordained to the priesthood in Montreal for the Diocese of Albany by Bishop Ignace Bourget on May 21, 1864. After his ordination, Ludden went to the United States, where Bourget assigned him as rector of St. Joseph's Parish in Malone, New York. Ludden was later named chancellor of the diocese, and accompanied Bishop John J. Conroy as his theologian in 1869 to the First Vatican Council in Rome.

Bishop of Syracuse

On December 14, 1886, Ludden was appointed the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Syracuse by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration at the Church of the Assumption in Syracuse on May 1, 1887, from Archbishop Michael Corrigan, with Bishops Bernard McQuaid and Francis McNeirny serving as co-consecrators.

At the time of Ludden's arrival, the diocese contained 70,000 Catholics, 74 priests, 46 parishes, 20 mission churches, and 16 parochial schools.

Bishop Ludden donated an altar to the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Castlebar, County Mayo.