John J. Snyder


John Joseph Snyder was an American prelate of the Catholic Church and served as the ninth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine.

Early life and education

Snyder was born in New York City on October 25, 1925, to John Joseph and Katherine Walsh Snyder. He attended St. Bartholomew and St. Andrew Avellino schools before studying for the priesthood at Cathedral College in Brooklyn and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, New York. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 9, 1951, by Archbishop Thomas E. Molloy of Brooklyn. After serving for six years at St. Mel Parish, Flushing, New York, he became assistant secretary to Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart and then secretary to Bishop Francis J. Mugavero, both of Brooklyn.

Episcopacy

On December 13, 1972, Pope Paul VI appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn. He was consecrated on February 2, 1973 at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Brooklyn. Mugavero served as principal consecrator with bishops John Boardman and Paul Hagarty serving as principal co-consecrators. In October 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Saint Augustine, Florida, where he was installed on December 5, 1979. His episcopal motto was "Peace in Christ".
As required by canon law, Snyder submitted his resignation on his 75th birthday on October 25, 2000. Pope John Paul II accepted Snyder's resignation on December 12, 2000. Snyder was elected diocesan administrator on December 15, 2000, by the diocesan college of consultors and served as administrator until August 21, 2001, when Msgr. Victor Galeone was consecrated the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Saint Augustine. Bishop John J. Snyder High School in Jacksonville, Florida, is named after him. The bishop celebrated an annual Mass at the school. He also went to most of the home sports games. The school is a college prep-school with high academic expectations.

Episcopal succession