# Merlin Guilfoyle

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{{Short description|American Roman Catholic prelate}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = 
| honorific_prefix = [His Eminence](/source/His_Eminence), [The Most Reverend](/source/The_Most_Reverend)
| name = Merlin Guilfoyle
| honorific_suffix = 
| title = [Bishop of Stockton](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Stockton)<br>[Titular Bishop](/source/Titular_Bishop) of Bulla
| image = 
| image_size = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| church = [Roman Catholic Church](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church)
| archdiocese = 
| province = 
| metropolis = 
| diocese = 
| see = [Diocese of Stockton](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Stockton)
| elected = <!-- or | appointed = -->
| term = November 12, 1969 to<br>September 4, 1979
| predecessor = [Hugh Aloysius Donohoe](/source/Hugh_Aloysius_Donohoe)
| successor = [Roger Mahony](/source/Roger_Mahony)
| other_post = [Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_San_Francisco) 1950 to 1969<br>[Titular Bishop](/source/Titular_Bishop) of Bulla
<!---------- Orders ---------->| ordination = June 10, 1933
| ordained_by = [Edward Joseph Hanna](/source/Edward_Joseph_Hanna)
| consecration = September 21, 1950
| consecrated_by = [John Joseph Mitty](/source/John_Joseph_Mitty)
<!---------- Personal details ---------->| birth_date = {{Birth date|1908|07|15}}
| baptised = <!-- will not display if birth_date is entered -->
| birth_place = [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco%2C_California), US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1981|11|20|1908|07|15}}
| death_place = [Stockton, California](/source/Stockton%2C_California), US
| buried = <!-- or | tomb = -->
| nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per [WP:INFONAT](/source/WP%3AINFONAT) -->
| religion = 
| residence = 
| parents = 
| education = [St. Patrick's Seminary](/source/Saint_Patrick_Seminary%2C_Menlo_Park)<br>[Catholic University of America](/source/The_Catholic_University_of_America)
| alma_mater = 
| motto = 
| signature = 
| coat_of_arms = 
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles |
    name=Merlin Guilfoyle |
    dipstyle=[The Most Reverend](/source/The_Most_Reverend) |
    offstyle=[Your Excellency](/source/Your_Excellency) |
    relstyle=[Monsignor](/source/Monsignor) |
    deathstyle= |}}

'''Merlin Joseph Guilfoyle''' (July 15, 1908 &ndash; November 20, 1981) was an American [prelate](/source/prelate) of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church). He served as bishop of the [Diocese of Stockton](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Stockton) in California from 1969 to 1979.  He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the [Archdiocese of San Francisco](/source/Archdiocese_of_San_Francisco) in California from 1950 to 1969.

==Biography==

=== Early life ===
Merlin Guilfoyle was born on July 15, 1908, in [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco%2C_California), [California](/source/California), to John Joseph and Teresa (née Bassity) Guilfoyle.<ref name="curtis">{{cite book|last=Curtis|first=Georgina Pell|title=The American Catholic Who's Who|volume=XIV|year=1961|publisher=Walter Romig|location=Grosse Pointe, Michigan}}</ref> His parents' home was destroyed in the [1906 San Francisco earthquake](/source/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake). Prior to Guilfoyle's birth, they returned to San Francisco from two years living in [Oakland, California](/source/Oakland%2C_California).

Guilfoyle attended St. James Boys' School in San Francisco from 1914 to 1922, and St. Joseph's College in [Mountain View](/source/Mountain_View%2C_California) from 1922 to 1927. He then studied (1927-1933) at [St. Patrick's Seminary](/source/Saint_Patrick_Seminary%2C_Menlo_Park) in [Menlo Park](/source/Menlo_Park%2C_California).

=== Priesthood ===
Guilfoyle was [ordained](/source/Holy_Orders) to the priesthood by Archbishop [Edward Joseph Hanna](/source/Edward_Joseph_Hanna) in San Francisco on June 10, 1933 for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Bishop Merlin Joseph Guilfoyle [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bguimj.html |access-date=2025-08-19 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}}</ref> In 1937, he earned a [Doctor of Canon Law](/source/Doctor_of_Canon_Law) degree from the [Catholic University of America](/source/The_Catholic_University_of_America) in Washington, D.C.<ref name="curtis" /> The Vatican elevated Guilfoyle to the rank of [domestic prelate](/source/Monsignor) in 1949. He was the co-founder and [chaplain](/source/chaplain) of the St. Thomas More Society for the archdiocese.

=== Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco ===
On August 24, 1950, Guilfoyle was appointed [auxiliary bishop](/source/Auxiliary_Bishop) of San Francisco and [titular bishop](/source/Titular_Bishop) of Bulla by [Pope Pius XII](/source/Pope_Pius_XII).<ref name=":0" /> He received his [episcopal](/source/Bishop_(Catholic_Church)) [consecration](/source/consecration) at the [Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption](/source/Cathedral_of_Saint_Mary_of_the_Assumption_(San_Francisco)) in San Francisco on September 21, 1950, from Archbishop [John Mitty](/source/John_Joseph_Mitty), with Bishops [James Sweeney](/source/James_Joseph_Sweeney) and [Hugh Donohoe](/source/Hugh_Aloysius_Donohoe) serving as [co-consecrators](/source/Consecrator).<ref name=":0" />

In addition to his duties as bishop, Guilfoyle served as [rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) of [Mission San Francisco de Asís](/source/Mission_San_Francisco_de_As%C3%ADs) (1950-1969) and [military vicar](/source/Military_ordinariate) of armed forces for the [Archdiocese of San Francisco](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_San_Francisco) and the [Dioceses of Monterey-Fresno](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Monterey-Fresno), Sacramento, [Reno](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Reno), and Salt Lake City.<ref name="curtis" /> On October 3, 1955, Guilfoyle dedicated a statue of [Francis of Assisi](/source/Francis_of_Assisi) by artist [Beniamino Bufano](/source/Beniamino_Bufano) at St. Francis of Assisi Church in San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1955-10-04 |title=STATUE TO BE DEDICATED; Bufano's St. Francis Will Be Blessed on Coast Tonight |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/10/04/archives/statue-to-be-dedicated-bufanos-st-francis-will-be-blessed-on-coast.html |access-date=2022-09-26 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

=== Bishop of Stockton ===
Guilfoyle was named the second bishop of Stockton by [Pope Paul VI](/source/Pope_Paul_VI) on November 12, 1969.<ref name=":0" /> He was installed in [Stockton, California](/source/Stockton%2C_California), on January 13, 1970.

=== Retirement and legacy ===
On September 4, 1979, [Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II) accepted Guilfoyle's resignation as bishop of Stockton.  Merlin Guilfoyle died in [Stockton, California](/source/Stockton%2C_California), on November 20, 1981, at age 73.<ref name=":0" />

On July 17, 1998, a jury awarded two brothers $40 million in a [sexual abuse](/source/sexual_abuse) lawsuit against the Diocese of Stockton.  Joh and James Howard said they were molested as altar boys by Reverend Oliver Francis O’Grady, a priest at St. Ann's Parish in [Lodi, California](/source/Lodi%2C_California), starting in the 1970's.  O'Grady had received 14 years in prison for molesting the boys.  In 1976, O'Grady had admitted to Guilfoyle directly that he had inappropriately touched Nancy Sloan-Ferguson, then an 11 year old girl.  In response, Guilfoyle transferred him to another parish and sent him to counseling - he did not suspend his privileges or notify police.  The lawsuit accused the diocese of [negligence](/source/negligence).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jury Awards $30 Million to Brothers Molested by Priest |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jul-17-mn-4582-story.html |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=Los Angeles Times |date=17 July 1998 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=warned |first=Elizabeth Bell |title=Woman testifies that Catholic priest molested her |url=https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/1998/06/12/woman-testifies-that-catholic-priest/50815726007/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=The Stockton Record |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Kim CurtisAssociated Press |title=Court papers shed light on nightmarish life of former Lodi priest |url=https://www.lodinews.com/news/article_77445eed-cb75-5c68-97f2-4e57e7407db9.html |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=Lodinews.com |date=3 June 2005 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal bar|Biography|Christianity|California}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{succession box |
  before=[Hugh Aloysius Donohoe](/source/Hugh_Aloysius_Donohoe) |
  title=[Bishop of Stockton](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Stockton) |
  years=1969&ndash;1979 |
  after=[Roger Mahony](/source/Roger_Mahony)}}
{{s-end}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guilfoyle, Merlin}}
Category:1908 births
Category:1981 deaths
Category:Clergy from San Francisco
Category:Archdiocese of San Francisco
Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Stockton
Category:Saint Patrick's Seminary and University alumni
Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
Category:Catholic University of America alumni
Category:20th-century American people

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Merlin Guilfoyle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_Guilfoyle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_Guilfoyle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.