Robert Emmet Lucey
Robert Emmet Lucey (March 16, 1891 – August 1, 1977) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo in Texas from 1934 to 1941 and as the second archbishop of Archdiocese of San Antonio in Texas from 1941 to 1969.
The Most Reverend Robert Emmet Lucey | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of San Antonio | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Archdiocese of San Antonio |
| In office | March 27, 1941 - July 4, 1969 |
| Predecessor | Arthur Jerome Drossaerts |
| Successor | Francis James Furey |
| Other post(s) | Bishop of Amarillo 1934 to 1941 |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 14, 1916 by Giuseppe Ceppetelli |
| Consecration | March 1, 1934 by Amleto Cicognani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 16, 1891 |
| Died | August 1, 1977 (aged 86) San Antonio, Texas |
| Education | St. Vincent's College University of the Propaganda |
| Styles of Robert Emmet Lucey | |
|---|---|
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | His Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Biography edit
Early life edit
Lucey was born in Los Angeles, California, to John Joseph and Marie Lucey on March 16, 1891. He began his college education at St. Vincent's College and completed the rest at Saint Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California, in 1912. Lucey then went to Rome to reside at the Pontifical North American College. In 1916, he received a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree at the University of the Propaganda there.[1]
Priesthood edit
On May 14, 1916, Lucey was ordained a priest in the Church of St. Apollinaris in Rome by Archbishop Giuseppe Ceppetelli.[2][1]
During the next five years in Los Angeles, Lucey was assistant pastor of several parishes which included St. Vibiana's Cathedral, Immaculate Conception Parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, and St. Anthony's in Long Beach. Among the positions that he held were chaplain of the Newman Club at the University of Los Angeles and diocesan director of Catholic Charities (1921–1925) of the California Conference of Social Work (1923–24), director of Catholic Hospitals for the diocese (1924–1934), and board member of the California State Department of Social Welfare (1924–1930).[1]
Bishop of Amarillo edit
Lucey was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo on February 10, 1934.[3] On March 1, 1934, Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani consecrated Lucey at St. Vibiana's Cathedral in Los Angeles. There he established a newspaper called the Texas Panhandle Register.
Archbishop of San Antonio edit
On January 23, 1941 Pope Pius XII appointed Lucey Archbishop of San Antonio. He was installed by Cicognani at the Cathedral of San Fernando in San Antonio on March 27, 1941.[3] Lucey helped establish the Yorktown Memorial Hospital in Yorktown, Texas, the Czech Catholic Home for the Aged, and the Huth Memorial Hospital and created 29 clinics throughout Southwest Texas.[1]
In the early 1950s, Lucey ordered the racial integration of all schools in the archdiocese. He also stipulated that the archdiocese only use unionized labor for its construction projects and supported union organizing efforts by farm workers in Texas. In 1965, he gave his full support to the national War on Poverty program of the Johnson Administration.[4] Furey cofounded the juvenile rehabilitation program the Patrician Movement and created the equal play advocacy organization Project Equality in 1965.[5]
In September 1968, while dedicating a new church rectory in Stonewall, Texas, with President Johnson in attendance, Lucey praised the US involvement in the Vietnam War, contending that it reflected the peace efforts of Pope Paul VI.[6] However, the pope had previously called on Johnson to stop the bombing of North Vietnam. Lucey later took a trip to Saigon to serve as an observer to the presidential election in what was then South Vietnam.[1]
Retirement and legacy edit
On July 4, 1969, Paul VI accepted Lucey's resignation as archbishop of San Antonio. Lucey died in San Antonio on August 1, 1977. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, which had been built on a plot of land in Bexar County that he had acquired for the church.[7]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "TSHA | Lucey, Robert Emmet". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
- ^ Williams, p. 361.
- ^ a b Williams, p. 362.
- ^ "Archbishop Lucey, Assisted Poor". The New York Times. 1977-08-02. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
- ^ Williams, p. 363-64.
- ^ Sheehan, Neil (1968-09-23). "ARCHBISHOP BACKS JOHNSON ON WAR; Lucey of San Antonio Links Policy to Papal Program". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
- ^ Williams, p. 365.
External links edit
- "Archbishop Robert Emmet Lucey †". Catholic-Hierarchy. [self-published]