Francis William Howard

Francis William Howard (June 21, 1867 – January 18, 1944) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Covington from 1923 until his death in 1944.

Biography

The fifth of seven children, Francis Howard was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Francis and Catherine (née O'Sullivan) Howard, who were Irish immigrants.^[1] After attending St. Joseph Academy in Columbus, he entered Our Lady of the Angels Seminary at Niagara, New York in 1884, and later returned to Ohio in 1888 to continue his studies at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West in Cincinnati.^[1] Howard was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Ambrose Watterson on June 16, 1891.^[2] In 1901 he organized the first Columbus Diocesan School Board.^[3] He also served as secretary (1904-1928), president (1928-1936), and member of the advisory board (1936-1944) of the National Catholic Educational Association.^[3]

On March 26, 1923, Howard was appointed the fifth Bishop of Covington, Kentucky, by Pope Pius XI.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 15 from Archbishop Henry K. Moeller, with Bishops James Joseph Hartley and John A. Floersh serving as co-consecrators.^[2] During his 20-year-long tenure, he became a nationally recognized leader in Catholic education and established a strong system of Catholic grade schools and high schools a priority for the diocese.^[3] He was named an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne in 1928. Following the 1937 Ohio River flood, he opened all Catholic churches in Covington for relief purposes.^[4]

Howard later died at age 76. He is buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell.^[3]

References

External links

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Episcopal succession

Diocese of Covington
Ordinaries	Bishops George Aloysius Carrell Augustus Toebbe Camillus Paul Maes Ferdinand Brossart Francis William Howard William Theodore Mulloy Richard Henry Ackerman William Anthony Hughes Robert William Muench Roger Joseph Foys
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption Parishes Mary, Queen of Heaven, Erlanger Mother of God Roman Catholic Church, Covington Saint John the Baptist, Wilder Retreat center, convent St. Anne Convent, Melbourne
Education	Colleges Thomas More College, Crestview Hills High schools Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria Covington Catholic High School, Park Hills (all boys) Covington Latin School, Covington Holy Cross High School, Covington Newport Central Catholic High School, Newport Notre Dame Academy, Park Hills (all girls) St. Henry District High School, Erlanger St. Patrick's High School, Maysville Villa Madonna Academy, Villa Hills
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Diocese of Columbus
Bishops	Ordinaries Sylvester Horton Rosecrans John Ambrose Watterson Henry K. Moeller James Joseph Hartley Michael Joseph Ready Clarence George Issenmann John Carberry Clarence Edward Elwell Edward John Herrmann James Anthony Griffin Frederick F. Campbell Auxiliary Edward Gerard Hettinger
Churches	Cathedral St. Joseph Cathedral Parishes St. Mary's Church, Delaware St. Brendan the Navigator Church, Hilliard St. John the Evangelist Church, Logan St. Mary's Church, Portsmouth St. Joseph's Church, Somerset St. Nicholas Church, Zanesville St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Zanesville
Education	Higher Education Ohio Dominican University Seminary Pontifical College Josephinum High Schools Bishop Hartley High School, Columbus Bishop Ready High School, Columbus Bishop Rosecrans High School, Zanesville Bishop Watterson High School, Columbus Cristo Rey Columbus High School, Columbus Newark Catholic High School, Newark Notre Dame High School, Portsmouth Saint Charles Preparatory School, Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School, Columbus Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School, New Philadelphia William V. Fisher Catholic High School, Lancaster
Priests	Francis William Howard George Avis Fulcher
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