Head was born in White Plains, New York, and was raised in the South Bronx. His parents were Charles and Nellie, immigrants from England and Ireland, respectively. Head had two brothers, Charles and Daniel.
Education
Both Head and his brothers solely attended Catholic parochial schools to receive their educations. Head earned a mathematics degree from Columbia University prior to entering St. Joseph's Seminary at Dunwoodie in 1939. Through his studies at St. Joseph's Seminary, he was later ordained a priest in 1945. During his time in ministry at the Archdiocese of New York, Head earned a master's degree from the New York School of Social Work in 1948.
Ministry
Head was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York on January 27, 1945 by Cardinal Francis Spellman in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, New York City. Head served in many capacities, including as an educator, prior to being appointed auxiliary bishop. Head taught sociology at Notre Dame College on Staten Island before serving as assistant pastor at both Sacred Heart Church in the Bronx and St. Roch's Church on Staten Island. In September 1947, Head became a staff member of the Archdiocese of New York Catholic Charities Family Service Department. He was an assistant pastor at St. Veronica's Church in Greenwich Village, New York City for 17 years while he worked at Catholic Charities. Head was named associate director of Family Services in March 1948, serving in that capacity until he became director of social research for Catholic Charities in 1956. In 1964, Head went to minister at St. Monica's Church in Manhattan; and became a parochial assistant at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1967. On October 15, 1966, Head was appointed executive director and secretary of Catholic Charities by Cardinal Terence Cooke. In these capacities in the organization, Head oversaw nearly 1,000 employees, and administrated an annual budget of millions of dollars.
On March 19, 1970, Head was consecrated an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York. He was also the Titular Bishop of Ard Sratha. Head served, among other assignments, as executive director of Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New York.
On January 23, 1973, Head was named as the 11th Bishop of Buffalo by Pope Paul VI; and he was installed on March 19, 1973. Fundraising for Catholic Charities increased by an extreme degree under Head's leadership in the Diocese, including the year of his retirement. Head was involved in many activities as Bishop of Buffalo. Under his leadership, many institutes and offices were created in the Diocese. Many of these endeavors include the Religious Education Coordinators Council; the Priests' Retirement Board; the Center for Church Vocations; the Western New York Catholic Hospital Health Care Council; the Peace and Justice Commission; the Office of Vicar for Religious; and the Permanent Diaconate Program. Additional efforts included the Office of Vicar for Campus Ministry; the Organist Enrichment Program; the Diocesan Marian Commission; the Office of Vicar for the Central City; Daybreak Productions; the Catholic Charities Parish Outreach Program; the Little Portion Friary; the Pope John Paul II Residence; the Agenda for the 80's; the Diocesan Radio Studio; and the Lay Ministry Advisory Board. Further endeavors created and/or supervised by Head included the consolidation of the Catholic Education Department; the Renew Program; the Office of Church Ministry; the relocation and consolidation of Diocesan Offices in the Catholic Center; the Office of Black Ministry; the Hispanic Apostolate; the Commission on Women in the Church and Society; the Department of Pro-Life Activities; the New Visions Commission for Pastoral Planning; the reorganization of 10 Central City parishes; and others. In 1995, upon celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination, Head reflected on his appointment as Bishop of Buffalo. Head ordained 124 men to the priesthood during his time as Bishop of Buffalo. It has been estimated that Head confirmed 50,000 young people to the Roman Catholic Church during his 22 years of service in Buffalo.
Honors
honored Head in July 1962 by naming him a papal chamberlain. In May 1966, Head was given the title of domestic prelate by Pope Paul VI. Prior to his death, Head was honored with a retirement home for priests that was named for him, the Bishop Edward D. Head Residence, in Lackawanna, New York.
Retirement and later life
accepted Head's petition to retire in April 1995. Church law required him to retire at age 75; and he was named Bishop Emeritus. Even though he was retired, he continued to play an active role in the Diocese of Buffalo throughout the 1990s and into early part of the next decade. He continued to be active in health care ministry, and other ministries throughout his retirement. Head died on March 29, 2005 in Kenmore, New York, at the age of 85. Head's body is buried in the crypt of St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo. He is the first Bishop of Buffalo to have retired in Buffalo.
