Patrick Anthony Ludden

Patrick Anthony Ludden (February 4, 1836 – August 6, 1912) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Syracuse, New York (1887–1912).

Patrick Anthony Ludden
Bishop of Syracuse
Patrick Anthony Ludden
In office	1887-1912
Successor	John Grimes
Orders
Ordination	May 21, 1864 by Bishop Ignace Bourget
Consecration	May 1, 1887 by Archbishop Michael Corrigan
Personal details
Born	February 4, 1836 Breaffy, near Castlebar, County Mayo
Died	August 12, 1912 (aged 76) Syracuse, New York
Nationality	Irish
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Anthony and Ellen (née Fitzgerald) Ludden
Education	St. Jarlath's College
Alma mater	Grand Seminary of Montreal

Biography

Patrick Ludden was born in Breaffy, near Castlebar, County Mayo, to Anthony and Ellen (née Fitzgerald) Ludden.[1] He graduated from St. Jarlath's College in Tuam in 1861 and then immigrated to North America, where he entered the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.[2] After completing his theological studies, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Ignace Bourget on May 21, 1864.[3] He was attached to the Diocese of Albany in New York, and there served as rector of St. Joseph's Church in Malone.[1] He was shortly afterwards named chancellor of the diocese, and accompanied Bishop John J. Conroy as his theologian to the First Vatican Council.[1] In 1872 he became rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and vicar general of the diocese.[2] He was named rector of St. Peter's Church in Troy in 1880.[4]

On December 14, 1886, Ludden was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Syracuse by Pope Leo XIII.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on May 1, 1887 from Archbishop Michael Corrigan, with Bishops Bernard John McQuaid and Francis McNeirny serving as co-consecrators.[3] During his 25-year-long tenure, he presided over a period of great growth in the young diocese.

At the time of Ludden's arrival, the diocese contained 70,000 Catholics, 74 priests, 46 parishes, 20 mission churches, and 16 parochial schools.[2][4] By the time of his death, there were over 150,000 Catholics, 129 priests, 80 parishes, 36 mission churches, and 21 parochial schools.[2] He selected St. Mary's Church as his new cathedral in 1903, and dedicated it in September 1910.[4] In 1911 he gained a degree of notoriety when he declared that the deadlock in the New York Legislature over the election of William F. Sheehan to the United States Senate was due to anti-Catholicism. Sheehan was later defeated.[5]

Bishop Ludden died at his residence in Syracuse, New York, aged 74. He is buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse.[1] Bishop Ludden Junior/Senior High School is named after him.

References

1. "Most Rev. Patrick Anthony Ludden". Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09.
2. Historical Records and Studies. United States Catholic Historical Society.
3. "Bishop Patrick Anthony Ludden". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
4. "Syracuse". Catholic Encyclopedia.
5. "Bishop Ludden Dead at 76". The New York Times. 1912-08-07.

External links

• Patrick Anthony Ludden at Find a Grave