Patrick Feehan

Patrick Augustine Feehan (August 28, 1829 – July 12, 1902), was an Irish-born American Catholic prelate who served as the first archbishop of Chicago in Illinois from 1880 until his death in 1902. He previously served as bishop of Nashville in Tennessee from 1865 to 1880.

Biography

Early life Patrick Feehan was born on August 28, 1829, in Killenaule, County Tipperary, in Ireland, to Patrick and Judith (Cooney) Feehan. His father was a gentleman farmer. At age ten, Feehan was sent to live with his paternal grandfather to attend school in Fethard. He returned to Killenaule two years later when a school opened there. Feehan learned to speak French fluently and was a dedicated reader.

Archbishop Peter Kenrick of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in the United States had opened the Carondelet Seminary, a major seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. While in Ireland, he recruited Feehan to come to his archdiocese. Although Feehan was on track to become a professor at St. Patrick, the college agreed to his departure. In 1852, Feehan left for the United States. After his ordination, Kenrick assigned Feehan to teach at the diocesan seminary. In July 1853, he was assigned to St. John's Parish in St. Louis.

In October 1866, Feehan traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, to participate in the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, a meeting of bishops in the American church to discuss rules and policies. The diocese was hard hit by bank closures and the depression of 1873. During a sermon in 1877, Feehan warned Catholic men against joined secular fraternal orders. His speech encouraged a group of Catholic men to create the Catholic Knights of America, which would eventually provide affordable life insurance to poor working men across the country. In 1877 and 1878, the diocese suffered yellow fever outbreaks, resulting in the deaths of 13 religious sisters and nine priests, including the vicar general.

Archbishop of Chicago On September 10, 1880, Feehan was appointed as the first archbishop of the new Archdiocese of Chicago by Pope Leo XIII.

Epidemics of cholera and yellow fever in Chicago left dozens of orphans. In 1881, Feehan established the St. Vincent Orphan Asylum, and in 1883 St. Mary's Training School for Boys, a trade school for homeless boys, now known as Maryville Academy. This was followed in 1887 with St. Paul's Home for Working Boys, now known as Mercy Home. "Archbishop Feehan believed a strong system of Catholic education would solve the problem of inconsistent religious instruction at home, and unify a rapidly diversifying Catholic America." He also dedicated St. Vincent's Church in 1897 to begin St. Vincent's College by 1898, which is today DePaul University.

Death and legacy Patrick Feehan died on July 12, 1902, in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune praised his "diplomatic handling" of all the ethnic groups in the diocese.