Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas John Curry as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for reasons of age. He has reached the retirement age for bishops of 75.
The resignation was publicized in Washington, April 3, 2018, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Bishop Curry was born January 17, 1943, in Ireland. He attended All Hallows Seminary in Dublin and graduated from University College in Dublin with a bachelor’s degree in History in 1963. In 1973, he received a master’s degree in History at Loyola Marymount, Los Angeles, and went on to receive a Ph.D. in History from Claremont Graduate School in 1983.
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 18, 1967, at All Hallows in Dublin, Ireland, for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Assignments after ordination included: associate pastor, St. Bernadine, Woodland Hills, CA, 1967-1970; teacher, St. Pius X High School, Downey, CA, 1970-1975; graduate studies, Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA, 1975-1978; teacher, St. Paul High School, Santa Fe Springs, CA, 1978-1979; director, Office of Continuing Education for Clergy, Los Angeles,1976-1985; vicar for clergy, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 1985-1990; director, Secretariat for Church Ministerial Services, Los Angeles, 1991-1994. During this time, he was bestowed the papal honor of the titles Chaplain to His Holiness, 1984, and Prelate of Honor, 1988.
On February 8, 1994, he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope John Paul II and was ordained to the episcopate on March 19, 1994 for the Santa Barbara Pastoral Region.
Full story at USCCB website.
Perhaps ‘ accepts retirement’ would be better wording. Apparently Bishop Curry is retiring on good terms, after a long career of service. “Resigning’ is often an option to being fired.
He resigned from his duties in 2013.
They left something out of his bio.
Bishop Curry was a disgrace to the Los Angeles Archdiocese. As Vicar General to despicable Roger Cardinal Mahony he established the practice of sending pederast priests only to lawyer-psychologists so that their dark perversions were protected by attorney-client privilege. My experience with his Exellency was when as the last act in power of Mahony Bishop Curry ordered the expulsion of our stable Latin Mass community that had had Mass at San Juan Buenaventura Mission every Sunday for the previous 16 years.
continued – 6 of January 2013 we were summoned by the awful Bishop Curry acolyte Father Tom Elewaut at San Juan Buenaventura Mission and told we were no longer welcomed at the Church and had to find somewhere else for our mass. Little did we know that the resignation of Pope Benedict was already arranged. This expulsion was a cause celèbre in California Catholicism. It is surprising that such a pederast-protecting bishop, and Mahoney accomplice, lasted until today. I thought Archbishop Gomez, a good man, had prohibited viper Curry from participating in official Church functions together with the nefarious Cardinal Mahony long ago.
“Little did we know that the resignation of Pope Benedict was already arranged.” How, exactly, do you know this?
YFC,
Long time — no see,
:)
Wonderful! Bishop Curry collaborated with Cardinal Mahoney in protecting pedophile priests from investigation by law enforcement officials. So glad Curry can now go retire somewhere and not do anymore damage.
God bless, you bishop Curry, for your service as priest and bishop. Archbishop Gomez, you now have another opportunity to promote some of your faithful priests to the episcopacy. May the Holy Spirit guide your decisions for the sake of the souls of the faithful in Los Angeles and for the entire Church.
Just so there is no confusion, the Pope appoints bishops. The beginning of the process is at the diocesan level.
Every bishop may submit to the archbishop of his province the names of priests he thinks would make good bishops. Prior to the regular province meeting (usually annually), the archbishop distributes to all the bishops of the province the names and curricula vitae of priests which have been submitted to him. Following a discussion among the bishops at the province meeting, a vote is taken on which names to recommend. The number of names on this provincial list may vary. The vote tally, together with the minutes of the meeting, is then forwarded by the archbishop to the apostolic nuncio in Washington. The list is also submitted…
There seems to be some kind of discrepancy here. Was he good or bad?
Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Curry has also publicly apologized for his decisions while serving as Vicar for Clergy. I have accepted his request to be relieved of his responsibility as the Regional Bishop of Santa Barbara,” Gomez wrote in a letter.
Internal Catholic church records released Monday show that 15 years before the clergy sex abuse scandal came to light, Mahony and Curry discussed ways to conceal the molestation of children from law enforcement.
latimesblog 2013
BAD ! He helped mahoney cover up the priest / pedophile scandal , costing this archdiocese money and souls , money can be replaced but the damage to the souls, the faithful , and the moral authority of the church cannot be estimated. Read other accounts of this persons part in this evil stain on the church, the ripple effects will be felt for a long time , this man could have acted in a brave , compassionate manner , as his vocation calls him to he did not .
So you are saying that it is up to a Bishop to appoint his own successors?
Can. 403 §1. When the pastoral needs of a diocese suggest it, one or more auxiliary bishops are to be appointed at the request of the diocesan bishop. An auxiliary bishop does not possess the right of succession.
Fr. Perozich , with respect , thank him for what ?! the damage he willingly participated in has damaged this archdiocese in money, souls and reputation . If someone wanted to harm the church in the long term could they have done any worse ? ! . By these scandals and the behavior of the clergy it has given ammunition to our enemies for decades or more , the moral authority the church by rights should have is almost non existent , we should be able to point to our past and present leadership with pride in saying these are men of good character and models of for future religious and laity, the truth says otherwise .