Michael Ryan Patrick Dempsey (September 10, 1918 – January 8, 1974) was an

American Catholic The Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the pope, who as of 2025 is Chicago, Illinois-born Leo XIV. With 23 percent of the United States' population , the Catholic Church is the cou ...

prelate who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1968 to 1974.

Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Michael Ryan Patrick Dempsey was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 1, 1943, by Archbishop Samuel Stritch. Before his appointment to the episcopacy, Father Dempsey was instrumental in creating the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. On June 13, 1968 Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Titular Bishop of Truentum and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago. He was consecrated by Cardinal John Cody on June 13, 1968. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Ernest John Primeau of Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester, Manchester and Cletus F. O'Donnell of Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison, Madison. He continued to serve as an auxiliary bishop until his death from a heart attack on January 8, 1974.

References

1918 births 1974 deaths Clergy from Chicago 20th-century American Roman Catholic titular bishops Catholics from Illinois {{US-RC-bishop-stub