William Patrick O'Connor


William Patrick O'Connor, was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Superior and the first bishop of the Diocese of Madison.

Biography

Early years

William O'Connor was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Patrick Dennis and Ellen Anna O'Connor. He received his early education at St. John Cathedral School and studied for the priesthood at St. Francis Seminary. He received a BA from Marquette University in 1915.

Ordination and ministry

He was ordained a priest on March 10, 1912. His first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Milwaukee, where he remained for four years. During World War I, he served as a chaplain with the 32nd Infantry Division; he was awarded the Croix de guerre medal for bravery in action. He then furthered his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., earning his doctorate in 1921. He taught philosophy at St. Francis Seminary for twenty years, and was named pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Milwaukee in 1941. He became president of the American Catholic Philosophical Association in 1939.

Bishop of Superior, Wisconsin

On December 27, 1941, Pope Pius XII appointed O'Connor bishop of the Superior Diocese and he was consecrated on March 7, 1942.

Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin

On February 22, 1946, O'Connor was appointed the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Madison, by Pope Pius XII. On February 18, 1967, Bishop O'Connor retired. He died of a heart attack in Madison, Wisconsin.