{{Short description|American prelate}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox Christian leader | name = Thomas John McDonnell | title = Coadjutor Bishop of Wheeling | image = Bishop Thomas J. McDonnell.jpg | image_size = 194px | appointed = March 7, 1951 | ended = February 25, 1961 | successor = Joseph Howard Hodges | ordination = September 20, 1919 | ordained_by = | consecration = September 15, 1947 | consecrated_by = Francis Spellman | previous_post = Auxiliary Bishop of New York (1947–1951) | birth_date = {{birth date|1894|08|18}} | birth_place = New York, New York, US | death_date = {{death date and age|1961|02|25|1894|08|18}} | death_place = Huntington, West Virginia, US | buried = Mount Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling, West Virginia | nationality = | religion = Roman Catholic | motto = ''Ad Jesum Per Mariam''<br>(To Jesus through Mary) | honorific_prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend }} {{Infobox bishopstyles |name=Thomas John McDonnell |dipstyle=The Most Reverend |offstyle=Your Excellency}}
'''Thomas John McDonnell''', D.D., (August 18, 1894 – February 25, 1961) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling in West Virginia from 1951 until his death.
McDonnell previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1947 to 1951. He also served as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1936 to 1950.
==Biography==
=== Early life === Thomas McDonnell was born on August 18, 1894, in New York City. He attended St. Francis Xavier High School and Cathedral College, both in Manhattan. Deciding to become a priest, he then entered St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=T.J. M'DONNELL, 66, COADJUTOR BISHOP; Prelate in Wheeling, W. Va, Had Served as Auxiliary to Cardinal Spellman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1961/02/26/archives/tj-mdonnell-66-coadjutor-bishop-prelate-in-wheeling-w-va-had-served.html |date=1961-02-26 |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
=== Priesthood === McDonnell was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New York on September 20, 1919.<ref name="catholicBMCDT">{{Cite web |last=Cheney |first=David M. |title=Bishop Thomas John McDonnell |url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmcdt.html |access-date=August 20, 2018 |website=Catholic-Hierarchy}}</ref> After his ordination, McDonnell was assigned as assistant rector at the new St. Clare Mission Church in Staten Island. On October 30, 1921, he sang the mass dedicating the church.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stclaresi.com/history-of-saint-clare-parish |title=History of Saint Clare Parish |publisher=Church of St. Clare |access-date=September 25, 2022}}</ref>
In 1923, Auxiliary Bishop John J. Dunn named McDonnell as his priest-secretary. At the same time, McDonnell became archdiocesan director for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (the Society). Around this time, he received a Master of Arts degree from Fordham University in the Bronx.<ref name=":0" />
The Vatican in 1936 appointed McDonnell as national director for the Society. While serving as director, he traveled to Australia, East Asia and Oceania. In 1937, the Vatican elevated McDonnell to the rank of domestic prelate.<ref name=":0" /> McDonnell was admitted as an affiliated member of the Marist Brothers in 1944.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.marist.edu/archives/BroHist/Appendixes%20E-K.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928161242/http://library.marist.edu/archives/BroHist/Appendixes%20E-K.html |title=History of the Marist Brothers in the United States; Appendix I: Affiliated Members of the United States Provinces |publisher=Marist College |date=1961 |archive-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref>
=== Auxiliary Bishop of New York === On July 2, 1947, Pope Pius XII appointed McDonnell as an auxiliary bishop of New York and titular bishop of Sela. He was consecrated at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan on September 15, 1947. His principal consecrator was Cardinal Francis Spellman and the co-consecrators were Cardinals Richard Cushing and James McIntyre.<ref name="catholicBMCDT" /> McDonnell took as his episcopal motto: "''Ad Jesum Per Mariam''" (To Jesus through Mary).<ref>{{cite web |last=Chow |first=Gabriel |title=Bishops who are not Ordinaries of Sees |url=http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/bishops-MB.htm#7656 |access-date=September 28, 2018 |website=GCatholic.org}}</ref>
On March 17, 1948, McDonnell celebrated a cathedral mass in honor of St. Patrick, with Spellman presiding. Over 3,000 parishioners were in attendance and the mass was covered in ''The New York Times''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1948/03/18/archives/3000-at-st-patricks-spellman-presides-at-annual-mass-in-the.html |title=3,000 at St. Patrick's; Spellman Presides at Annual Mass in the Cathedral |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 18, 1948 |access-date=May 10, 2010}}</ref> On June 6, 1948, McDonnell presided at a mass celebrating the golden jubilee of Monsignor John J. E. O'Brien, pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Manhattan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1948/06/07/archives/msgr-obrien-gets-acclaim-for-work-50-years-of-priesthood-marked-at.html |title=Msgr. O'Brien Gets Acclaim for Work; 50 Years of Priesthood Marked at Service in St. Agnes Church and at Luncheon |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 7, 1948 |access-date=May 8, 2010}}</ref> McDonnell resigned as national director of the Society in 1950.<ref name=":0" />
=== Coadjutor Bishop of Wheeling === On March 7, 1951, Pius XII appointed McDonnell as coadjutor bishop of Wheeling, with the right to succeed Bishop John Joseph Swint.<ref name="catholicBMCDT" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Rutkowski |first=Ryan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P2CRrf2CBAMC&pg=PA16 |title=Catholic West Virginia |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=978-0738586397 |page=16 |access-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref>
On October 24, 1953, McDonnell consecrated the altar in Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel at Marist College with the relics of two martyrs, Pope Urban I and St. Felician,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://exhibits.archives.marist.edu/s/marist-heritage-project/media/14453 |title=Chronology of Marist College: 1858–1969 |first=Joseph L.R. |last=Belanger |publisher=Marist College |date=November 3, 2005 |access-date=April 13, 2025}}</ref> On May 16, 1954, All Saints Catholic Church in Bridgeport, West Virginia, was dedicated by him.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allsaintsbridgeport.com/about.html |title=History |publisher=All Saints Catholic Church |access-date=September 25, 2022}}</ref> McDonnell dedicated Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Williamson, West Virginia on May 27, 1951, and its school on December 15, 1957.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sacredheartwilliamson.com/2014-bulletins |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928121553/http://www.sacredheartwilliamson.com/2014-bulletins |title=History |publisher=Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Williamson, West Virginia |archive-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref>
=== Death and legacy === McDonnell died suddenly at St. Mary's Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia, of an acute viral infection on February 25, 1961.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/63700880/ |title=High Church Leader Dies |agency=Associated Press |date=February 27, 1961 |access-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Bishop McDonnell Rites Set |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/02/27/118024724.html?pageNumber=27 |date=1961-02-27 |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston|state=collapsed}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonnell, Thomas John}} Category:1894 births Category:1961 deaths Category:Clergy from New York City Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Category:Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston Category:Religious leaders from West Virginia Category:Fordham University alumni Category:20th-century American people