Name John McRaith Posthumous style not applicable | Spoken style Your Excellency | |
In memory of bishop 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.
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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).
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of New Ulm on February 21, 1960. 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.
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.
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."