John Francis Regis Canevin (June 5, 1853 – March 22, 1927) was an American

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pre ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania from 1904 to 1921.

Biography

Early life

Regis Canevin was born at Beatty in

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Westmoreland County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 364,663. The county seat is Greensburg. Formed from, successively, Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford co ...

to Thomas and Rosanna Canevin, on a farm owned by the Sisters of Mercy. After receiving his early education at schools in Beatty, he entered St. Vincent College in 1871 and St. Vincent Seminary in 1875.

Priesthood

Canevin was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...

to the priesthood by Bishop

John Tuigg John Tuigg (February 19, 1820 – December 7, 1889) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania from 1876 to 1889. Biography Early life John Tuigg w ...

on June 4, 1879."Canevin", Right Reverend John Francis Regis", ''The Catholic Encyclopedia and Its Makers'', New York, the Encyclopedia Press, 1917, p. 26
/ref> Canevin's first assignment was as a curate at St. Mary's Parish in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

, where he remained until 1881. He then served in the same capacity at St. Paul's Cathedral in Pittsburgh for five years. In 1886, Canevin became chaplain at St. Paul's Orphan Asylum and the

Western Penitentiary Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

, as well as

pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

of the mission in

Canonsburg, Pennsylvania Canonsburg is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon in 1789 and incorporated in 1802. The population was 9,735 at the 2020 census. The town lies in a rich coal distr ...

. He served as chancellor of the diocese from 1888 until 1893, when he became pastor of St. Philip's ChurchSt. Philip's Church
/ref> in

Crafton, Pennsylvania Crafton is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, west of downtown Pittsburgh. The population grew from 1,927 in 1900 to 4,583 in 1910 and to 7,163 in 1940. The population was 6,099 at the 2020 census. History Crafton is nam ...

. Canevin was named

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1895.

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Pittsburgh

On January 16, 1903, Canevin was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Pittsburgh and titular bishop of ''

Sabratha Sabratha ( ar, صبراتة, Ṣabrāta; also ''Sabratah'', ''Siburata''), in the Zawiya DistrictPope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

. He received his episcopal consecration on February 24, 1903, from Archbishop Patrick Ryan, with Bishops John W. Shanahan and

Leo Haid Leo or Léo may refer to: Acronyms * Law enforcement officer * Law enforcement organisation * ''Louisville Eccentric Observer'', a free weekly newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky * Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Arts ...

serving as co-consecrators. Upon the death of Bishop

Richard Phelan Richard Phelan, D.D. (January 1, 1828 – December 20, 1904) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, in the United States from 1889 to 1904. Bio ...

, Canevin automatically succeeded him to become the fifth bishop of Pittsburgh on December 20, 1904. He was the first American and the first native son of the diocese to become bishop. He penned the article on the "Diocese of Pittsburg" for the ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. On January 9, 1921,

Pope Benedict XV Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ''Benedictus XV''; it, Benedetto XV), born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, name=, group= (; 21 November 185422 January 1922), was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His ...

accepted Canevin's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and appointed him as titular archbishop of '' Pelusium''. Regis Canevin died at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh at age 73, and is buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Lawrenceville.

References

External links