Edward Cornelius O'Leary


Edward Cornelius O'Leary was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Portland, Maine from 1974-88.

Biography

Edward O'Leary was born in Bangor, Maine, and studied at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, from where he obtained his Bachelor's degree. He attended St. Paul's Seminary in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, there earning a Licentiate of Sacred Theology. Returning to Maine, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Edward McCarthy on June 15, 1946.
O'Leary was a curate at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception before serving at Sacred Heart Church of Portland and at in Old Orchard Beach. He was later named chancellor of the Diocese of Portland, and a Domestic Prelate by Pope John XXIII in 1959. He was pastor of in Brunswick from 1967 to 1971.
On November 16, 1970, O'Leary was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Portland and Titular Bishop of Moglaena by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on January 25, 1971 from Bishop Peter Leo Gerety, with Bishops Bernard Joseph Flanagan and Lawrence Graves serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Following the promotion of Bishop Gerety to Archbishop of Newark in April 1974, O'Leary was named to succeed him as the ninth Bishop of Portland on October 16, 1974. He was formally installed on December 18 of that year.
During his tenure, O'Leary was forced to address the problems of an increasing population but a decline in priestly vocations. He encouraged the greater involvement of laity and women in church administration, and developed a system of parish councils. The Portland Diocese also joined the during this time. O'Leary took frequent public stands on a number of social issues of importance to the Church, endorsing a referendum on pornography and opposing the Maine Equal Rights Amendment. He also targeted AIDS victims for the Church's social services program. It was also customary for Bishop O'Leary to visit all the hospitals every Christmas Day.

Last years and death

After fourteen years as bishop, O'Leary retired due to health reasons on September 27, 1988. He later died at age 81. He was brother of the sister-in-law of Bishop Thomas Vose Daily. He remained Bishop Emeritus of Portland until his death on April 2, 2002.