Thomas Cusack (bishop)

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Thomas Francis Cusack
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; Thomas Francis Cusack
Bishop of Albany; Titular Bishop of Themiscyra
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Albany
Predecessor	Thomas Martin Aloysius Burke
Successor	Edmund Gibbons
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Themiscyra
Orders
Ordination	May 30, 1885; by Francis McNeirny
Consecration	April 25, 1904; by John Murphy Farley, Charles H. Colton and James Augustine McFaul
Personal details
Born	February 22, 1862; New York City, US
Died	Albany, New York, US
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of New York
Education	St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary
Motto	Alias oves habeo; (I have other sheep)

Thomas Francis Cusack (February 22, 1862 – July 12, 1918) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Albany from 1915 until his death in 1918.

Cusack previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1904 to 1915.

Biography

Early life

Thomas Cusack was born in Manhattan to James and Honora (née Boland) Cusack.^[1] His parents were Irish immigrants who came to the United States on their honeymoon.^[2] His childhood was spent on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where he attended the parochial school of St. James Parish.^[3]

Cusack then went to high school at St. Francis Xavier's College in Manhattan, graduating there in 1880.^[3] He continued his preparation for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary in Troy, New York.^[2]

Priesthood

Cusack was ordained to the priesthood at St. Joseph's for the Archdiocese of New York on May 30, 1885 by Bishop Francis McNeirny.^[4]After his 1885 ordination, the archdiocese assigned Cusack to the pastoral staff of St. Teresa's Church in Manhattan.^[2]

Cusack left New York City in 1890to serve as pastor of St. Peter's Church in Rosendale, New York.^[1] However, after one year, he resigned his post to go to Yonkers, New York to assist in establishing a new parish. According to the New York Times, Cusack played a prominent role in combating a smallpox epidemic in Yonkers.^[2]

In 1897, Cusack organized the missionary band for the archdiocese, a group of priests tasked with evangelizing non-Catholics.During the 1898 Spanish–American War, Cusack served as a military chaplain at Camp George H. Thomas, a US Army training camp near Chickamauga, Georgia.^[2]^[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of New York

On March 11, 1904, Cusack was appointed auxiliary bishop of New York and titular bishop of Themiscyra by Pope Pius X.^[4] He received his episcopal consecration on April 25, 1904, from Archbishop John Murphy Farley, with Bishops Charles H. Colton and James Augustine McFaul serving as co-consecrators, in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan.^[4]

In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor of St. Stephen's Church from 1904 to 1915.^[1]

Bishop of Albany

Cusack was named the fifth bishop of Albany by Pope Benedict XV on July 5, 1915.^[4] During his brief tenure, Cusack supported the American war effort during World War I by helping provided military chaplains. He also renovated the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, installing electric lighting and marble flooring.^[5]

Cusack established a chapter of Catholic Charities in the diocese. Before his illness, Cusack took walks around Albany, talking with people that he met.^[5]

Death and legacy

By June 1917, Cusack was in poor health, but continued to work as bishop. He died in Albany on July 12, 1918 from cancer at age 56.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Meehan, Thomas F., ed. (1919). Historical Records and Studies. Vol. XIII. Stephen Farrelly, Joseph F. Delany. New York: United States Catholic Historical Society.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "BISHOP CUSACK DIES AFTER LONG ILLNESS; Head of Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany FormerlyLived Here.YEARS IN MISSION FIELDOrganized the New York Apostolate Fathers--Worked AmongNon-Catholics". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
^ ^a ^b The Messenger. Vol. XLI. New York. 1904.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Bishop Thomas Francis Cusack". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
^ ^a ^b "Past Bishops". Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Thomas Martin Aloysius Burke	Bishop of Albany 1915–1918	Succeeded by Edmund Gibbons
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of New York 1904–1915	Succeeded by –