Religious style Bishop Died 10 January 1992 Spoken style Excellency | Posthumous style none Reference style The Most Reverend | |
Edward Thomas O'Meara (August 3, 1921 – January 10, 1992) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Indianapolis from 1980 until his death.
Biography
The son of Irish immigrants, Edward O'Meara was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended Kenrick Seminary before being ordained a priest by Archbishop Joseph Ritter on December 21, 1946. He then furthered his studies in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in theology from the Angelicum in 1952. He became national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith on December 28, 1966.
On January 28, 1972, O'Meara was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis and Titular Bishop of Thisiduo by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following February 13 from Paul VI himself in St. Peter’s Basilica, with Cardinals Bernard Alfrink and William Conway serving as co-consecrators.
On November 27, 1979, O'Meara was appointed the fourth Archbishop of Indianapolis by Pope John Paul II, succeeding George Biskup. He was installed on the following January 10.
O'Meara was chairman of Catholic Relief Services from 1987 to 1991, when he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis.
O'Meara died in Indianapolis at the age of 70 on January 10, 1992 - the 12th anniversary of his installation as Archbishop. He is buried in Calvary Chapel Mausoleum.