Thomas Grace (bishop of Sacramento)

Thomas Grace (August 2, 1841 – December 27, 1921) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento in California from 1896 to his death in 1921.


Thomas Grace
Bishop of Sacramento
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
SeeDiocese of Sacramento
PredecessorPatrick Manogue
SuccessorPatrick Joseph James Keane
Orders
OrdinationJune 24, 1876
ConsecrationJune 16, 1896
by Patrick William Riordan
Personal details
Born(1841-08-02)August 2, 1841
DiedDecember 27, 1921(1921-12-27) (aged 80)
NationalityIrish
EducationSt Peter's College, Wexford
All Hallows Missionary College
Styles of
Thomas Grace
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleMonsignor

Biography

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Early life

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Thomas Grace was born on August 2, 1841, in Wexford, Ireland.[1] He was educated at St Peter's College, Wexford and All Hallows Missionary College, Dublin.

Priesthood

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Grace was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dublin in Dublin on June 24, 1876.[2][1] After his ordination, Grace travelled to California. He served as pastor of several churches in Eureka, California, Carson City, Nevada, and Marysville, California. Grace dedicated St. Mary of the Lake Church in Nevada on the Feast of the Assumption, 1881.[3] Eventually, Grace became the pastor of the pro-cathedral, Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church, whose land was donated by the first governor of California, Peter Burnett.

Bishop of Sacramento

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On February 27, 1896, Pope Leo XIII appointed Grace bishop of the Sacramento Diocese. He was consecrated on June 16, 1896, by Archbishop Patrick Riordan.[1][4]

Grace dedicated St. Patrick Church in Scotia, California, on March 28, 1905, and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Redding, California, on April 30, 1905.[5] On October 30, 1906, he was given the property deed in Red Bluff, California, with the provision that it remain as a hospital for the Sisters of Mercy.[6] On June 22, 1919, Grace dedicated St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville, Nevada.[7]

Grace helped launch the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Herald, with a message endorsing its scope and usefulness to the diocese on March 14, 1908.[8]

Death and legacy

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Patrick Grace died in Sacramento on December 27, 1921.[1][9] Grace Day Home in Sacramento was named for him.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Bishop Thomas Grace". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. ^ Boll, John E., "Bishop Thomas Grace", Sacramento Diocesan Archives, Vol. 1, No. 5
  3. ^ "Mission & History". St. Mary of the Lake. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  4. ^ "The Diocese of Sacramento Enjoys a Rich History | Diocese of Sacramento". www.scd.org. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. ^ St Joseph's History Retrieved: 2010-03-26. Archived 2010-11-29 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "History". www.dignityhealth.org. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  7. ^ St. Gall Catholic Church celebrates 90 years in Valley Retrieved: 2010-03-26.
  8. ^ Catholic Herald staff (14 March 1908). "The Catholic Herald Celebrating 100 years of publishing". Diocese of Sacramento. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  9. ^ "Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento - Installation of Bishop Thomas Grace". Archived from the original on 30 June 2008.
  10. ^ "Sacramento Business Journals". sacramento.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Sacramento
1896–1921
Succeeded by