Jeremiah Francis Minihan (July 21, 1903 – August 14, 1973) 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 an
auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions.
...
of the
Archdiocese of Boston from 1954 until his death in 1973.
Biography
Early life and education
Jeremiah Minihan was born in
Haverhill,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, one of two sons of Timothy and Nora Agnes (née Duggan) Minihan.
His parents were both
Irish immigrants; his father was from
County Cork
County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
and his mother was from
County Kerry
County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
.
He received his early education at the
parochial school
A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...
o
St. James Churchin his native city.
[ He then attended ]Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1925.[ At Georgetown, he played as a lineman on the ]football team
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...
; the Jeremiah Minihan Coaches Award, presented the student who has made an outstanding contribution to the team, is named in his honor.
However, Minihan gave up his promising athletic career to study for the priesthood.[ He studied at the Pontifical Urban University in ]Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, where he earned a doctorate in theology in 1930.[
]
Ordination and ministry
Minihan 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 ...
a priest in Rome on December 21, 1929. Following his return to Massachusetts, he was assigned as a curate
A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' () of souls of a parish. In this sense, ''curate'' means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy who are as ...
a
St. Paul Church
in Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
. He served as assistant chancellor
Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
of the Archdiocese of Boston (1931–33) and secretary to Cardinal William Henry O'Connell (1933–43).[
Minihan was named a Monsignor in 1936.][ In 1943, he became chancellor of the archdiocese and ]pastor
A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...
o
St. Catherine Church
in Norwood.[ He also served as pastor o]
St. Theresa Church
in West Roxbury, diocesan consultor, synod
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...
al judge, and vicar
A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
for religious
Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...
.[
During Minihan's tenure at St. Theresa's in West Roxbury, he shared the rectory with Father John Cotter. Cotter was later revealed to be one of the worst child-abusers in the Diocese. Father Gilbert Phinn, who later went on to be Diocese personnel director, was in the same rectory at the same time. Phinn was responsible for knowingly distributing abusers like Cotter throughout Boston. Many parishioners and victims consider Minihan, in his tenure at St. Theresa, as an enabler at best, and a conspirator at worst.
]
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston
On May 21, 1954, Minihan was appointed auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions.
...
of Boston and titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of '' Paphos'' 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 ]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 the following September 8 from Cardinal Richard Cushing, with Bishops John Joseph Wright and Vincent Stanislaus Waters serving as co-consecrators.[ As an auxiliary bishop, he served as regional bishop for the North Pastoral Region.]
Minihan died while on vacation in Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, at age 70.[
]
See also
* Catholic Church hierarchy
* Catholic Church in the United States
The Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion, communion with the pope, who as of 2025 is Chicago, Illinois-born Pope Leo XIV, Leo XIV. With 23 percent of the United States' population , t ...
* Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
* List of the Catholic bishops of the United States
* Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
References
External links
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Episcopal succession
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minihan, Jeremiah Francis
1903 births
1973 deaths
Participants in the Second Vatican Council
People from Haverhill, Massachusetts
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Georgetown Hoyas football players
20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
Religious leaders from Massachusetts
Catholics from Massachusetts
American Roman Catholic clergy of Irish descent