Archbishop John Joseph Hughes, the First Bishop of New York City
1797 - 1864
On July 19, 1808,Pope Pius IX formally established the Archdiocese of New York, and appointed Bishop John Hughes as the first archbishop. Ever since that date the man and the archdiocese have been inseparably linked. This was not only an acknowledgement that America's largest city deserved to be the site of an archdiocese, but also a vote of confidence in Bishop Hughes. Hughes was already a national figure, the first Bishop of New York to achieve such prominence. He was, in the words of one of his biographers, Henry Browne, "the best known, if not exactly the best loved Catholic bishop in the country." On the local level he had already performed wonders in bringing order and discipline to a chaotic diocese.
An Irish immigrant, who was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Philadelphia in 1827, John Hughes first came to New York in 1838 to serve as coadjutor bishop to the aging Bishop John Dubois. Upon the death of Duboiss in 1842, Hughes automatically succeeded him as the fourth Bishop of New York.
He was considered a born orator who knew how to sway a crowd, especially a crowd of Irishmen. He was also a skilled journalist , and was a ferless, articulate spokesman for his countrymen. He was effective during the troubled times of the immigration in NYC, with education a priority of his. He founded Fordham University and St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC. He died during the Civil War, when the cathedral construction had been constructed; and so did not live to see its completion.
His opponents called him "Dagger John" with mixed derision and awe. His enemies, and there were many of them, used uglier words. His allieds approached him with careful deference, his subordinates with trepidation.Hughes was a hard-nosed ecclesiastic.
He was a hard-nosed battler for the rights of immigrant Irish in the middle dedcades of the 19th century. He championed their cause in an age when the Catholic Church was only grudgingly accepted as a partner in the American dream. Hughes was, moreover, the prototype of the autocratic prelate who would rule the American Catholic Church for the next one hundred years.
Squelching democratic strivings among his clergy and laity whenever they appeared, he created a model for the highly-structured Romanized church that would eventually dominate the American religious scene. He appeared in the newspapers as often as he appeared in the pulpit. He had dealings with revolutionaries, politicians, fellow bishops, apostates, Presidents, ranting bigots, Popes, and his own poor, belligerent, but fiercely devoted Catholic flock.
While he was an apostolic administrator, before becoming bishop, he established a German parish, a French parish, and an Italian parish in NYC. He fought against anti-Catholicism and promoted the building of parochial schools. In 1861 - 1862 he toured Europe as Abraham Lincoln's unofficial representative.
In 1861 1862 He toured Europe as Araham Lincoln's unofficial representative to promote the cause of the Union.He died in 1864, and his ashes were moved to St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1882, and buried under the main alter. Standing behind the alter, at the top of stairs, you can look down and see where he and others are buried.
Mother Mary Angela Hughes, sister of Archbishop John J. Hughes was born in Tyrone, Ireland in 1806. She emigrated to the United States in 1818 and became a member of the Sisters of Charity in Maryland.
Ellen Hughes became Sister Mary Angela Hughes, then Mother Mary Angela Hughes; in the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (New York). The first superior of the Order was in office for 50 years, followed by Sister Mary Angela. They wore black caps and religious dresses similar to those worn by Mother Elizabeth Seton. She was very instrumental in the work of the Order; and she opened St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City in 1849, and served as its superior until 1855; the same year she became Mother General of The Sisters of Charity of Mount Saint Vincent. She died in 1866.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Dagger John" by Richard Shaw, A Newman book from Paulist Press
"The Unique Life and Times of Archbishop John Hughes of New York" Richard Shaw, Paulist Press 1977
"Life of the Most reverend John Hughes D.D. First Archbishop of New York" and Extracts from
His Private Correspondence by John R. G. Hassard, D. Appleton 1866
The Encyclopedia of New York City; designed by Richard Hendel; R.R. Donnelly & Sons Company
Photographs of Archbishop John Hughes - from Museum of the City of New York & The Library of Congress
“Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (New York)” Catholic Encyclopedia
County Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Society in Sligo(Scanlon Family of Skreen & Dromard Parish)