John Joseph McCort


John Joseph McCort was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Altoona, Pennsylvania, from 1920 until his death in 1936.

Biography

McCort was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John and Sarah McCort. After studying at La Salle College, he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at Overbrook in 1876. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan on October 14, 1883. He then served as a professor at St. Charles Seminary until 1899, when he became rector of . He was named a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness in 1910, and vicar general of the Diocese of Philadelphia in 1911.
On June 28, 1912, McCort was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop of Azotus by Pope Pius X. He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 17 from Archbishop Edmond Francis Prendergast, with Bishop John W. Shanahan and John Edmund Fitzmaurice serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul.
McCort was named Coadjutor Bishop of Altoona on January 27, 1920, and succeeded the late Eugene A. Garvey as the second Bishop of Altoona on October 22 of that year. He remained at Altoona until his death at age 76.