Henry Joseph O'Leary

Who was Henry Joseph O'Leary?

Henry Joseph O'Leary was the fifth Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown, and later became the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Edmonton.

Born in Richibucto, New Brunswick to Henry O'Leary and Mary O'Leary, he received his higher education from St. Joseph's College in Memramcook then studied Theology at the Grand Seminary in Montreal. On September 21, 1901, O'Leary was ordained a priest in Richibucto. The same year he went to Rome, where he later earned doctorates in Theology, Philosophy, and Canon Law.

In 1907 O'Leary was appointed priest for the Sacred Heart Parish in Bathurst, New Brunswick. The following year, he was appointed Vicar General for the Diocese of Chatham. In 1913 O'Leary became Bishop for the Diocese of Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island but as St. Dunstan's Basilica in Charlottetown had recently burned down, O'Leary was consecrated at the Sacred Heart Church in Bathurst.

One of his first acts was to have a new cathedral built on the site of the ruined Basilica. It was completed during O'Leary's tenure and opened in 1919.

In World War I many Diocesan parishioners joined the armed services and several priests became chaplains. During this time, the new Saint Vincent Orphanage was completed to replace the old one in Charlottetown.