John Dearden

John Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907 – August 1, 1988) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.

He continued his education at St. Philomena School in East Cleveland, and then attended Cathedral Latin High School from 1921 to 1925.

In 1925, Dearden began his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland.

He graduated from St. Mary's in 1929, and was then sent to continue his studies in Rome at the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University.

On December 8, 1932, Dearden was ordained a priest by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani in Rome.

He earned a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian in 1934.

Following his return to Ohio, he was assigned as a curate at St. Mary's Church in Painesville, where he remained for three years.

He then served as professor of philosophy (1937–48) and rector (1944–48) at St. Mary's Seminary.

He was raised to the rank of papal chamberlain on July 19, 1945.

On March 13, 1948, Dearden was appointed coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and titular bishop of Sarepta by Pope Pius XII.

He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 18 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops Edward Francis Hoban and Floyd Lawrence Begin serving as co-consecrators, at St. Agnes Church in Cleveland.

He previously served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1950 to 1958.

During his tenure in Pittsburgh, Dearden earned the nickname "Iron John" for his stern manner of administration.

In Detroit, Dearden was active in community causes, supporting equal employment opportunities and better racial relations in the city.

He played an influential role at the Second Vatican Council.

Dearden served as the first president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

John Dearden was born in Valley Falls, Rhode Island, the eldest of five children of John Sidney and Agnes (née Gregory) Dearden.

He received his early education at the parochial school of Holy Trinity Church in Central Falls.

At age 11, Dearden and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio.

Upon the death of Bishop Hugh Charles Boyle, Dearden succeeded him as the seventh Bishop of Pittsburgh on December 22, 1950.

During his tenure in Pittsburgh, Dearden earned the nickname "Iron John" for his stern manner of administration.

In 1952, he issued new regulations for interfaith marriages, allowing marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics to take place in a church, but insisted his actions "must not be understood as mitigating in any degree the general rule of the church that is opposed in principle to such unions."

He was named an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne in 1957.

He served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1958 to 1980, and was created a cardinal in 1969.

Following the death of Cardinal Edward Mooney, Dearden was appointed the second Archbishop of Detroit on December 18, 1958.

He was active in community causes such as supporting equal employment opportunities and encouraging his diocese to work for better racial relations in Detroit.

His commitment to racial justice frequently put him at odds with priests and lay Catholics at the parish level who organized to fight neighborhood integration.

Dearden attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965.

He played an influential role at the Council, helping develop key documents like Lumen gentium and Gaudium et spes.

During the Council, he became more progressive in his views, becoming known as a "favorite of the liberals in the church."

He dedicated himself to implementing the reforms of the Council, promoting the greater participation of the laity in diocesan affairs, encouraging the formation of a priests' senate, and ordaining married deacons.

In 1965, Dearden partnered with Cardinal Joseph Ritter to inaugurate Project Equality, an interfaith program requiring businesses to pledge to a policy of non-discrimination in hiring and discharging employees.

He also announced that the archdiocese would give preferential treatment to suppliers who gave equal opportunity to minority groups.

As a member of the National Catholic Welfare Council, he served as its treasurer, a member of its administrative board, and chairman of its Committee on the Liturgical Apostolate.

Dearden in 1967 concluded that "the Negro-white confrontation in American cities is in great part a Negro-Catholic confrontation."

When Pope Paul VI agreed with the idea raised by participants in Vatican II and restored the permanent diaconate in 1967, Dearden was the first in America to utilize the pronouncement and augmented the declining numbers of regular clergy in his diocese by ordaining thirteen married laymen as deacons in 1971.

Dearden drew the attention of the national media for "his innovative approach to the new liturgy and teachings."

He was characterized as a "progressive" and a "liberal" and was even condemned by The Wanderer as "a major heretic, one of the worst the Catholic Church has ever suffered from."

The New York Times speculated that in 1979 when Pope John Paul II came to America, answering an invitation to speak at the United Nations, he "snubbed" Dearden by not scheduling a visit to Detroit "in favor of John Cardinal Cody of Chicago, whose conservatism the Pope found more to his liking."

Despite his liberal outlook, Dearden had "too many theological objections" to support the ordination of women.