Denis O'Donaghue


Denis O'Donaghue was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Louisville from 1910 to 1924.

Biography

O'Donaghue was born in Daviess County, Indiana to Irish immigrants James and Mary O'Donaghue, and received his education at St. Meinrad's College in Indiana and at St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, Kentucky. After completing his theological studies at the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Ontario, Canada, he was ordained to the priesthood on September 6, 1874. He served as chancellor of the Diocese of Indianapolis from 1878 to 1899, and was named its vicar general on March 19, 1899.
On February 10, 1900, O'Donaghue was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Indianapolis and Titular Bishop of Pomaria by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 25 from Archbishop William Henry Elder, with Bishops John Samuel Foley and Thomas Sebastian Byrne serving as co-consecrators. He was later named Bishop of Louisville, Kentucky, on February 7, 1910, and enthroned at the Cathedral of the Assumption on the following March 29.
After fourteen years as Bishop, O'Donaghue retired on July 26, 1924; he was named Titular Bishop of Lesvi on the same date. He later died at age 76.

Episcopal succession