Christopher Joseph Weldon (September 6, 1905 – March 19, 1982) was an American

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Minister (Christianity), Christian clergy who is an Ordinary (church officer), ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which me ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts from 1950 to 1977. In 2020, an investigation by the diocese determined that an accusation of sexual abuse of a minor against Weldon was highly credible.

Biography

Early years

Christopher Weldon was born on September 6, 1905, in the

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

section of New York City to Patrick and Mary (née Dwyer) Weldon. After graduating from Public School 9 in Manhattan in 1918, he entered the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec. In 1924, Weldon returned to New York to study at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers.

Priesthood

Weldon was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

to the priesthood on September 21, 1929, at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. Weldon then completed his

graduate studies Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachel ...

at the

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is one of two pontifical universities of the Catholic Church in the United States – the only one that is not primarily a ...

in Washington, D.C. His first pastoral assignment was as assistant pastor at St. John the Evangelist Parish in

White Plains, New York White Plains is a city in and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, and a commercial hub of Westchester County, a densely populated suburban county that is home to about one milli ...

, followed by a term at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in

Mount Kisco, New York Mount Kisco is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village and Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The town of Mount Kisco is coterminous municipality, coterminous with the ...

. From 1931 to 1935, Weldon served as

spiritual director Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divinity, divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of their encounters ...

at the Newman School in Lakewood,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. He left New Jersey in 1935 to become pastor at St. John Chrysostom Church in

Bronx, New York The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. After one year, he was moved to Blessed Sacrament Church in Manhattan. In 1942, after the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Weldon left New York to serve in the

United States Navy Chaplain Corps The United States Navy Chaplain Corps is the body of military chaplains of the United States Navy who are Officer (armed forces), commissioned naval officers. Their principal purpose is "to promote the spiritual, religious, moral, and persona ...

. Discharged from the Navy in 1946, he returned to New York, where he became master of ceremonies to Cardinal

Francis Spellman Francis Joseph Spellman (May 4, 1889 – December 2, 1967) was an Catholic Church in the United States, American Catholic prelate who served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Archbishop of New York from 1939 until his death in 1967. F ...

. Serving as executive director of

Catholic Charities The Catholic Church operates numerous charitable organizations. Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel, while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick, the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spir ...

from 1947 to 1950, he was raised to the rank of a

papal chamberlain A papal gentleman, formally a Gentleman of His Holiness, is a lay attendant of the pope and his papal household in Vatican City. Papal gentlemen serve in the Apostolic Palace near St. Peter's Basilica in ceremonial positions, such as escorting d ...

in 1947 and a

domestic prelate Domestic may refer to: In the home * Anything relating to the human home or family ** A domestic animal, one that has undergone domestication ** A domestic appliance, or home appliance ** A domestic partnership ** Domestic science, sometimes cal ...

in 1948.

Bishop of Springfield

On January 28, 1950, Weldon was appointed the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Springfield by

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

. He received his

episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United States ...

consecration Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...

on March 24, 1950, from Cardinal Spellman, with Archbishop

Richard Cushing Richard James Cushing (August 24, 1895 – November 2, 1970) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1944 to 1970 and was made a cardinal in 1958. Cushing's main role was as fundraiser and builder ...

and Bishop

Stephen Joseph Donahue The Most Reverend Stephen Joseph Donahue (December 10, 1893 – August 17, 1982) was an American bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1934 to 1972. Biography Stephen Donahue ...

serving as

co-consecrators A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop. The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churche ...

. During his tenure, Weldon oversaw the construction of Cathedral High School and Our Lady of Lourdes School in Springfield, added a wing to Farren Memorial Hospital in

Montague, Massachusetts Montague is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,580 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan statistical area. The villages of Montague Center, Montague City, Lake ...

, and built Mont Marie, the motherhouse of the

Sisters of St. Joseph The Sisters of St. Joseph, also known as the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, abbreviated CSJ or SSJ, is a Catholic religious congregation of women founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France, in 1650. This congregation, named for Saint Jo ...

of Springfield. He erected 10 new

parishes A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

, and constructed 11 new churches and several parish centers. Weldon established a center for the

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

apostolate in Springfield, and a diocesan

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in 1954. He attended the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...

from 1962 to 1965, and served as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Elms College The College of Our Lady of the Elms, often called Elms College, is a private Roman Catholic college in Chicopee, Massachusetts in the United States. History The Sisters of St. Joseph and the Diocese of Springfield co-founded Elms College as ...

from 1958 to 1977.

Retirement and legacy

After 27 years as bishop, Weldon resigned on October 15, 1977. Christopher Weldon died on March 19, 1982, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield at age 76. In September 2018, a diocesan Review Board notified Bishop

Mitchell T. Rozanski Mitchell Thomas Rozanski (born August 6, 1958) is an Catholic Church in the United States, American Catholic prelate who has served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, Archbishop of St. Louis since 2020. He previously served as Roman Ca ...

that it had found an allegation of sexual abuse by Weldon credible. The board cited a

Chicopee, Massachusetts Chicopee ( ) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 55,560, making it the second-largest city in western Massachuset ...

, resident who said that Weldon had abused him a child. The board later split on the case, with several members saying that the victim did not name Weldon directly, while three others present maintained they had witnessed otherwise. In June 2019, Rozanski met with the victim, saying he found the allegations "deeply troubling". In June 2020, an investigation by retired Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis found the victim's claim "to be unequivocally credible." After Velis' findings were released, Rozanski asked Trinity Health of New England to remove Weldon's name from its rehabilitation center, the former Farren Memorial Hospital in Montague. Weldon's remains were disinterred and moved to more secluded spot in the cemetery. He ordered the removal of all photographs, memorials and other mentions of Weldon from all diocesan facilities, schools and churches.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Weldon, Christopher Joseph 1905 births 1982 deaths American rapists Religious leaders from the Bronx Catholic University of America alumni Participants in the Second Vatican Council 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Roman Catholic bishops of Springfield in Massachusetts Elms College faculty Catholics from New York (state) Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals in the United States Military personnel from Massachusetts United States Navy chaplains United States Navy personnel of World War II World War II chaplains