William Joseph Hafey

William Joseph Hafey (March 19, 1888 – May 12, 1954) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina (1925–1937) and bishop of the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania (1938–1954).

Biography

Early life William Hafey was born on March 19, 1888, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, to James and Catherine (née Mulcahy) Hafey. He attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1909. From 1909 to 1910, he studied at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., then attended Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Priesthood Hafey was ordained to the priesthood at Mount St. Mary's by Bishop Owen Corrigan for the Archdiocese of Baltimore on June 16, 1914. After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Hafey served as a curate at St. Joseph's Parish in Baltimore. In 1920, he was appointed chancellor of the archdiocese. He was also dedicated to social needs such as education, healthcare, and youth activities.