Thomas Joseph Riley

Thomas Joseph Riley (November 30, 1900 – August 17, 1977) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston from 1959 to 1976.

Biography

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Thomas Riley was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, to Thomas and Agatha (née Loughry) Riley.[1] Following his graduation from Boston College in 1922, he studied at St. John's Seminary in Brighton.[1] He was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 1927.[2]

Riley served as a curate at St. Joseph's Church in Roxbury (1929–31) and earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Catholic University of Louvain in 1933.[1] He taught philosophy and moral theology at St. John's Seminary for eleven years, then serving as vice-rector (1944–51) and rector (1951–58) of the seminary.[1] In 1958, he became pastor of St. Peter's Church in Cambridge.[1]

On November 4, 1959, Riley was appointed auxiliary bishop of Boston and titular bishop of Regiae by Pope Pius XII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 21 from Cardinal Richard Cushing, with Bishops Eric Francis MacKenzie and Jeremiah Francis Minihan serving as co-consecrators.[2] In addition to his episcopal duties, he continued to serve as pastor of St. Peter's Church.[1] After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he retired as auxiliary bishop of Boston on June 28, 1976.[2]

Riley later died at age 76.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
  2. ^ a b c d "Bishop Thomas Joseph Riley". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.