Romeo Roy Blanchette

Romeo Roy Blanchette (January 6, 1913 – January 10, 1982) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Joliet from 1966 to 1979.

The Coat of Arms of Bishop Blanchette

Biography

Romeo Blanchette was born in Kankakee County, Illinois, to Oscar and Josephine (née Langlois) Blanchette.^[1] After attending Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago from 1928 to 1931, he studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1934.^[1] He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal George Mundelein on April 3, 1937, upon the recommendation of rector Reynold Henry Hillenbrand.^[2]

He continued his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1939.^[1] Blanchette was a notary of the matrimonial court in the Archdiocese of Chicago (1938-1949) when Bishop Martin Dewey McNamara brought him to the newly established Diocese of Joliet, where he was made chancellor.^[1] In 1950, he was named vicar general of the diocese and a domestic prelate.^[1]

On February 8, 1965, Blanchette was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet and Titular Bishop of Maxita by Pope Paul VI.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 3 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, with Bishops William Aloysius O'Connor and Ernest John Primeau serving as co-consecrators.^[2] He attended the fourth session of the Second Vatican Council. Following the death of Bishop McNamara, Blanchette was named the second Bishop of Joliet on July 19, 1966.^[2] He served in this capacity until January 30, 1979, when he resigned after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.^[2][3] He later succumbed to the illness and died at age 69.^[3]

References

Diocese of Joliet
Bishops	Ordinaries Martin Dewey McNamara Romeo Roy Blanchette Joseph Leopold Imesch J. Peter Sartain R. Daniel Conlon Auxiliaries Raymond James Vonesh Daniel Kucera Daniel L. Ryan Roger Kaffer James Edward Fitzgerald Joseph M. Siegel
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus Parishes St. Mary's Church, Beaverville
Education	Higher Education Benedictine University Lewis University University of St. Francis High Schools Benet Academy, Lisle Bishop McNamara High School, Kankakee IC Catholic Prep, Elmhurst Joliet Catholic Academy, Joliet Montini Catholic High School, Lombard Providence Catholic High School, New Lenox St. Francis High School, Wheaton
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Archdiocese of Chicago
Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Chicago Bishops William Quarter James Oliver Van de Velde Anthony O'Regan James Duggan Coadjutor bishop Thomas Patrick Roger Foley Archbishops Patrick Feehan James Edward Quigley George Mundelein Samuel Stritch Albert Gregory Meyer John Cody Joseph Bernardin Francis George Blase J. Cupich Catholicism portal
Churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago Cathedral Holy Name Cathedral Basilicas Basilica of St. Hyacinth Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica Queen of All Saints Basilica Parishes Chicago Holy Cross Church Holy Family Catholic Church Holy Innocents Church Holy Trinity Church Church of the Immaculate Conception Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church Notre Dame de Chicago Old St. Patrick's Church Sacred Heart Church St. Barbara Church St. Clement Church St. Hedwig's Church St. Ita's Church St. John Cantius Church St. Josaphat Church St. Joseph Church St. Jerome Croatian Church St. Ladislaus Church St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church St. Mary of the Angels Church St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church St. Michael's Church, Old Town St. Michael the Archangel Church, South Shore St. Pascal Church St. Stanislaus Kostka Church St. Thomas the Apostle Church St. Vincent de Paul Church Church of St. Vitus St. Wenceslaus Church Cook County St. Anne Church, Barrington St. Mary of Częstochowa Church, Cicero Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Glenview SS. Cyril and Methodius Church, Lemont St. James Church, Lemont St. Martha Church, Morton Grove St. John Brebeuf Church, Niles St. Joseph Church, Wilmette Chapels Madonna Della Strada Chapel
Education in the Archdiocese of Chicago Higher education DePaul University Dominican University Loyola University Chicago Saint Xavier University Stritch School of Medicine Seminaries Catholic Theological Union Saint Joseph College Seminary University of Saint Mary of the Lake High schools Chicago Brother Rice High School Christ the King Jesuit College Prep High School Cristo Rey Jesuit High School De La Salle Institute DePaul College Prep Hales Franciscan High School Holy Trinity High School Josephinum Academy Leo Catholic High School Marist High School Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School Mount Carmel High School Notre Dame High School for Girls Our Lady of Tepeyac High School Resurrection High School St. Benedict High School St. Francis de Sales High School St. Ignatius College Preparatory School St. Patrick High School St. Rita of Cascia High School Cook County St. Viator High School, Arlington Heights Queen of Peace High School, Burbank St. Laurence High School, Burbank Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights Nazareth Academy, La Grange Park Mount Assisi Academy, Lemont Notre Dame College Prep, Niles Fenwick High School, Oak Park Trinity High School, River Forest Guerin College Preparatory High School, River Grove Seton Academy, South Holland St. Joseph High School, Westchester Loyola Academy, Wilmette Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette Lake County Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, Lake Forest Carmel High School, Mundelein St. Martin de Porres High School, Waukegan Former Higher education Barat College Lexington College St. Viator College High schools Academy of Our Lady, Chicago Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Chicago Immaculata High School, Chicago Maria High School, Chicago St. Gregory the Great High School, Chicago St. Scholastica Academy, Chicago Saint Louise de Marillac High School, Northfield Grade school Our Lady of the Angels School, Chicago
Clergy of the Archdiocese of Chicago Auxiliary bishops Alfred Leo Abramowicz Edwin Michael Conway William Edward Cousins Michael Dempsey Gustavo García-Siller John R. Gorman Raymond E. Goedert Thomas Joseph Grady Wilton Daniel Gregory Nevin William Hayes Raymond Peter Hillinger Edward Francis Hoban Thad J. Jakubowski Francis J. Kane Gerald Frederick Kicanas Jerome Edward Listecki Timothy Joseph Lyne John R. Manz Alexander Joseph McGavick William Edward McManus William David O'Brien John L. May George Murry Cletus F. O'Donnell Thomas J. Paprocki Joseph N. Perry George J. Rassas Plácido Rodriguez Alberto Rojas Bernard James Sheil John George Vlazny Andrew Peter Wypych Priests who became bishop elsewhere Peter Joseph Baltes Robert Emmet Barron Romeo Roy Blanchette Stanislaus Vincent Bona Edward Braxton Maurice Francis Burke Edmund Michael Dunne Edward Joseph Dunne Edward Egan James Aloysius Griffin William Richard Griffin John Richard Keating James Patrick Keleher Moses E. Kiley Francis Joseph Magner Paul Marcinkus John McMullen Martin Dewey McNamara Peter Muldoon William Aloysius O'Connor Thomas Joseph Murphy Ernest John Primeau Paul Peter Rhode Patrick William Riordan Edward James Slattery Raymond James Vonesh Aloysius John Wycislo Priests John George Alleman Donald Martin Carroll George Clements Daniel Coughlin John Joseph Egan Andrew Greeley George G. Higgins Reynold Henry Hillenbrand James Timothy O'Meara Michael Pfleger Jeremiah J. Rodell
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