Francis Mugavero
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Francis John Mugavero was the Roman Catholic Bishop (later Bishop Emeritus) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. Currently, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is one of the largest dioceses, practiced by over 1,556,575 Catholics.
He was born on June 8, 1914 in Brooklyn, and ordained as a parish priest on May 18, 1940, at the age of 25. His consecrators were Luigi Cardinal Raimondi (Principal Consecrator), Terence Cardinal Cooke and Bishop John Joseph Boardman.
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[edit] As Bishop
On July 15, 1968, aged 54, he was appointed as the 5th (and first Italian-American) Bishop of Brooklyn and ordained two months later.
Bishop Mugavero was the first native of Brooklyn to lead the diocese, which covers over 1,000,000 Roman Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens. The diocese is independent of the Archdiocese of New York, which encompasses the three other boroughs, Westchester and six other counties north of the city. Bishop Mugavero issued more than 20 pastoral letters strongly condemning abortion. He tended, however, to avoid public criticism of Catholic politicians who supported a right to abortion. He chose to meet such officeholders privately instead.
On February 20, 1990, aged 75, he retired as Bishop of Brooklyn.
[edit] Death
He was a priest for 51 years and a bishop for almost 23 years by the time of his death from a heart attack, aged 77, on July 12, 1991, while vacationing in East Hampton, New York. He died holding the title of Bishop Emeritus.
[edit] Legacy
- Bishop Francis J. Mugavero Center For Geriatric Care, Brooklyn, New York
