John R. Gaydos
John Raymond Gaydos | |
|---|---|
| Bishop Emeritus of Jefferson City | |
| Archdiocese | St. Louis |
| Diocese | Jefferson City |
| Appointed | June 25, 1997 |
| Installed | August 27, 1997 |
| Retired | November 21, 2017 |
| Predecessor | Michael Francis McAuliffe |
| Successor | Shawn McKnight |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 20, 1968 byFrancis Frederick Reh |
| Consecration | August 27, 1997 byJustin Francis Rigali,Michael Francis McAuliffe,andOscar Hugh Lipscomb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 14, 1943 |
| Motto | With a shepherd's care |
| Styles of John Raymond Gaydos | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
John Raymond Gaydos(born August 14, 1943) is an Americanprelateof theRoman Catholic Church.He served as bishop of theDiocese of Jefferson Cityin Missouri from 1997 to 2017.
Biography
[edit]Early years
[edit]John Gaydos was born on August 14, 1943, inSt. Louis,Missouri,to George and Carrie (née Lee) Gaydos.[1]He graduated from St. Agnes School in 1957, then entered St. Louis Preparatory Seminary in St. Louis. In 1961, Gaydos entered Cardinal Glennon College atKenrick-Glennon Seminaryin Shrewsbury, Missouri.[2]
In 1965, Gaydos traveled to Rome to attend thePontifical North American Collegeand thePontifical Gregorian University.He obtained hisBachelor of Sacred Theologydegree indogmatic theologyin 1969.
Priesthood
[edit]On December 20, 1968, Gaydos wasordainedto the priesthood for theArchdiocese of Saint Louisby BishopFrancis RehinSt. Peter's Basilicain Rome.[3][1]
After returning to Missouri, Gaydos was assigned as associatepastorof St. Joseph Parish inManchester, Missouri,until 1974. He was then transferred to be associate pastor at St. CeciliaParishin St. Louis, serving there until 1977. Gaydos was appointed as priest-secretary to CardinalJohn Carberryand as vice-chancellorofSt. Louisfrom 1977 to 1981. He then became secretary to ArchbishopJohn Mayand full chancellor until 1990. Gaydos became pastor of St. Gerard Majella Parish inKirkwood, Missouriin 1990, andvicar generalof the archdiocese on February 14, 1996.
Bishop of Jefferson City
[edit]On June 25, 1997,Pope John Paul IIappointed Gaydos as the third bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City. He was consecrated on August 27, 1997, by ArchbishopJustin Rigali,with BishopMichael McAuliffeand ArchbishopOscar Lipscombserving as co-consecrators, at theCathedral of Saint Josephin Jefferson City.[1]
As bishop, Gaydos established a branch ofCatholic Charities USA.He built the Alphonse J. Schwartze Memorial Catholic Center in Jefferson City to consolidate all the diocesan ministries andFather Tolton Regional Catholic High Schoolin Columbia, Missouri.[2]
Within theUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops(USCCB). Gaydos served as chair of the Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry, and was a member of theAd HocCommitteeon Sexual Abuse, the Administrative Committee, and the Committee for Communications.
O'Connell sex abuse case
[edit]On March 19, 2002, Gaydos and the diocese were sued by a former student at St. Thomas Aquinas Preparatory Seminary inHannibal, Missouri.The plaintiff claimed that BishopAnthony J. O'Connell,then rector at the seminary, had sexually exploited him.[4]In May 2002, facing declining enrollment at the seminary and pending lawsuits, Gaydos closed it.[5]
In March 2002, it was revealed that the diocese had made a secret settlement of $125,000 in 1996 to a former seminarian who claimed by have been sexually abused by O'Connell in 1969 at the seminary. In 1988, O'Connell was named bishop of theDiocese of Palm Beach;it is unknown if Gaydos had informed John Paul II about the O'Connell settlement before he appointed O'Connell as bishop.[6]In 2002, O'Connell admitting abusing two boys at the seminary and resigned as bishop of Palm Beach.
Other sexual abuse cases
[edit]In 2003, Gaydos and the diocese were named in a sexual abuse lawsuit by a Missouri man. The plaintiff alleged that Reverend Gary Pool and Reverend Kevin Clohessy had sexually abused him for most of his childhood.[7]
On September 3, 2015, the diocese settled for $40,000 a long-standing sexual abuse claim byDavid Clohessy,the brother of Kevin Clohessy, against Reverend John Whiteley. David Clohessy had sued the diocese in 1991, claiming that Whitely, then a pastor at St. Pius X Parish inMoberly, Missouri,had sexually abused him. Clohessy's case was dismissed in 1993 due to the Missouristatute of limitations.However, Clohessy renewed his claim in 2015 and the diocese decided that it was credible.[8]
Retirement
[edit]In 2017, Gaydos sent a letter of resignation toPope Francis,asking for early retirement as bishop of Jefferson City for health reasons.[9][1]These were later described ashypertension,arterial fibrillation, and the need forheart valve replacement.[10]The pope accepted his resignation on November 21, 2017.
References
[edit]- ^abcd"Bishop John Raymond Gaydos [Catholic-Hierarchy]".catholic-hierarchy.org.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
- ^abNies, Jay (August 17, 2022)."ENCORE: Bishop Gaydos's silver jubilee".The Catholic Missourian.RetrievedNovember 17,2023.
- ^Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 107th Congress Second Session: Vol.148 Part 12.Government Printing Office.
- ^"Ex-Seminarian Sues Former Palm Beach Bishop Over Sexual Abuse".Boca Raton New.March 19, 2002.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
- ^"SEMINARY TO CLOSE".Tampa Bay Times.April 20, 2002.RetrievedNovember 17,2023.
- ^Wakin, Daniel J. (March 12, 2002)."Secrecy Over Abusive Priests Comes Back to Haunt Church".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
- ^"Sex Abuse Suit Filed In Missouri".cbsnews.February 19, 2003.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
- ^"Clohessy, JC Diocese settle priest abuse case".newstribune.September 4, 2015.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
- ^Nies, Jay (November 21, 2017)."Pope Names New Bishop for Jefferson City Diocese".Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City (from The Catholic Missourian).RetrievedNovember 23,2017.
- ^"Pope names new bishop for diocese".Jefferson City News Tribune.November 22, 2017.RetrievedNovember 26,2017.
External links
[edit]
Quotations related toJohn R. Gaydosat Wikiquote
Media related toJohn Raymond Gaydosat Wikimedia Commons- Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City Official Site
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Missouri Catholic Conference
Episcopal succession
[edit]| Bishops | |
|---|---|
| Churches | |
| Education |
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| Priests | |
| Other | |
- 1943 births
- Living people
- 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- Clergy from St. Louis
- Kenrick–Glennon Seminary alumni
- Pontifical Gregorian University alumni
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis
- Roman Catholic bishops of Jefferson City