Thomas William Drumm
Thomas William Drumm was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Des Moines from 1919 until his death in 1933.Biography
Thomas Drumm was born in Fore, County Westmeath, to Thomas and Mary Drumm. He came to the United States in 1888, and began his studies at St. Joseph's College in Dubuque, Iowa. He completed his theological studies at the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, where he was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Paul Bruchési on December 21, 1901. He then furthered his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He labored in the diocesan missions of Dubuque, and became pastor of in Cedar Rapids in 1915.
On March 28, 1919, Drumm was appointed the second Bishop of Des Moines by Pope Benedict XV. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 21 from Archbishop John Joseph Keane, with Bishops James J. Davis and Edmond Heelan serving as co-consecrators. In 1924 he became the first Catholic bishop to preach regularly on the radio, offering monthly broadcasts on WHO. He remained as bishop until his death at age 62.
