John Jeremiah McRaith

John Jeremiah McRaith (December 6, 1934 – March 19, 2017) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Owensboro from 1982 to 2009.

Styles of John Jeremiah McRaith
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	not applicable

Biography

John McRaith was born in Hutchinson, Minnesota to Arthur Luke McRaith and Marie (née Hanley) McRaith. He grew up with three siblings. He attended St. John's Preparatory School in Collegeville, and at Loras College and St. Bernard's Seminary (both in Dubuque, Iowa).[1]

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of New Ulm on February 21, 1960.[2] He served as chancellor and vicar general of the Diocese, and as executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1971 to 1978.[1]

On October 23, 1982, McRaith was appointed the third Bishop of Owensboro, Kentucky, by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 15 from Archbishop Thomas Kelly, O.P., with Bishops Henry Soenneker and Raymond Lucker serving as co-consecrators.[2]

McRaith resigned for health reasons on January 5, 2009, after a 26-year-long period as ordinary of the Diocese of Owensboro. He explained, "I do not have a life-threatening illness, but my doctors have advised me to slow down."[3]

References

1. "The Bishop". Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
2. "Bishop John Jeremiah McRaith". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
3. Orr, Susan. "Bishop of Owensboro, Ky., resigns, cites health reasons". Evansville Courier Press.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Henry Joseph Soenneker	Bishop of Owensboro 1982–2009	Succeeded by William Francis Medley