Last Updated on March 18, 2012 by
Farrelly, John Patrick, Rt. Rev. D. D.; Bishop of Cleveland; born, Memphis, Tenn., March 15, 1856; son of John P. and Martha Clay Moore Farrelly; early education in the grammar schools of Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky; studied classics for three years at Georgetown University, Washington, D. C.; in 1873, went to Europe, to complete classical education; graduated from the College of Notre Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium; from Namur, went to the American College, Rome, to study philosophy and theology; at the conclusion of a brilliant course received the Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The University of the Propaganda, Rome; was ordained priest, May 22, 1880, by Cardinal Monaca Lavalletta, in the Lateran Basilica, Rome; asst. pastor of the Cathedral, Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 5, 1882; pastor of the Cathedral and Chancellor of the Diocese of Nashville, 1883-1887; Sept. 25, 1887, was made sec’y of the American Bishops at Rome; spiritual director of the American College, Rome, 1894-1909; received the title of Monsignor from Leo XIII, and enjoyed the same distinction under Pius X; March 16, 1909, he was notified of his appointment to the See of Cleveland; May 1, 1909, he was consecrated Bishop in the Chapel of the American College, Rome, by Cardinal Gotti, Perfect of Propaganda; assigned by Bishop Morris of Little Rock, and Bishop Kennedy, Rector of the American College; installed as Bishop in the Cleveland Cathedral, June 13, 1909; director of all the Catholic charitable and educational institutions of the city and Diocese of Cleveland; Alumni American College, Rome; his grandfather, Col. Terrence Farrelly, was a distinguished lawyer and judge of the courts, wrote the first constitution of the State of Arkansas; his father was a leading lawyer of Memphis, Tenn., and represented that city in the State Legislature; was a member of the famous “Long Legislature,” so-called on account of the length of the session, 1859-1861, in which the question of separation from the Union was discussed, his father being among those opposing the separation; his mother’s family came to this country in the early part of the 18th century, settling in North Carolina and Virginia; there are still representatives of the Moores in North Carolina and of the Clays in Kentucky.