Vincent Joseph Hines

Who was Vincent Joseph Hines?

Vincent Joseph Hines was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Norwich from 1960 to 1975.

Hines was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 2, 1937. He became an Army chaplain in 1942 and served in France after the Normandy invasion; he was later awarded a Bronze Star Medal.

On November 27, 1959, Hines was appointed the second Bishop of Norwich by Pope John XXIII. He received his episcopal consecration on March 17, 1960 from Archbishop Henry Joseph O'Brien, with Bishops Bernard Joseph Flanagan and John Francis Hackett serving as co-consecrators. During his tenure, he led a $1 million fundraising campaign to build diocesan high schools, and established two in Middletown, Xavier for boys in 1963 and Mercy for girls in 1965. He also named the first nun to head a diocesan school system in Connecticut, and established a retired priests' program. He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965.

After fifteen years as bishop, Hines resigned on June 5, 1975. He spent his retirement in Wilton, where he served as chaplain to the School Sisters of Notre Dame. He later died at St. Francis Hospital, aged 77.