William A. Griffin (Roman Catholic bishop)


William Aloysius Griffin was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Trenton from 1940 until his death in 1950.

Early life and education

Griffin was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the eleventh of twelve children of John J. and Catherine Griffin. One of his brothers, John J. Griffin, was city attorney of Elizabeth and a Democratic member of the New Jersey General Assembly. He received his early education at the parochial school of in his native city, and then attended St. Patrick High School, also in Elizabeth. He attended Seton Hall College in South Orange before studying for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary.

Priesthood

Griffin was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Newark on August 15, 1910. His first assignment was as principal of Bayley Hall, a grammar school attached to Seton Hall College. A member of the faculty at Seton Hall for fifteen years, he taught Latin, Greek, and English in the preparatory school before becoming professor of philosophy and English in the college.
In December 1924, Griffin was appointed diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. He later became national treasurer of the same organization in 1935. From 1929 to 1938, he was pastor of in Jersey City. He was named a papal chamberlain in 1930. He also served as administrator of and in Newark, and state chaplain of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

Episcopacy

Newark

On February 26, 1938, Griffin was appointed auxiliary bishop of Newark and titular bishop of Sanavo by Pope Pius XI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 1 from Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh, with Bishops John A. Duffy and Moses E. Kiley serving as co-consecrators, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. As an auxiliary bishop, he served as rector of Immaculate Conception Seminary.

Trenton

Following the promotion of Bishop Kiley to Archbishop of Milwaukee, he was named Bishop of Trenton on May 21, 1940. His installation took place at St. Mary's Cathedral on July 23 of that year.
Griffin died from a stroke at the home of his brother-in-law and sister in Elizabeth, at age 64.