John Edmund Fitzmaurice

Who was John Edmund Fitzmaurice?

John Edmund Fitzmaurice was the fourth Roman Catholic Bishop of Erie.

Fitzmaurice was born in Newtown-Sandes, County Kerry, and began studying law at age fifteen. In 1858 he came to the United States, where he began his studies for the priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania. He was ordained by Bishop James Frederick Wood on December 21, 1862, and then served as a curate at St. John's and St. Paul's in Philadelphia. After serving as pastor of St. Agatha's, he became rector of St. Charles Seminary in 1886. His nephew, Edmond John Fitzmaurice, was also rector of St. Charles as well as Bishop of Wilmington.

On December 14, 1897, Fitzmaurice was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Erie and Titular Bishop of Amisus by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on February 24, 1898 from Archbishop Patrick John Ryan, with Bishops Ignatius Frederick Horstmann and Edmond Francis Prendergast serving as co-consecrators. He succeeded Tobias Mullen as Bishop on September 15, 1899. During his 21-year-long tenure, Fitzmaurice established several parishes and dedicated St. Peter's Cathedral. He later died at age 81.