Bishop John S. Foley, Detroit, Michigan (1833-1918)

John S. Foley, Right Reverend Bishop of Detroit Diocese, son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Murphy) Foley, was born in Baltimore, Md., November 5, 1833. In pursuance of early education Bishop Foley attended St. Mary’s College, Baltimore, from which he was graduated in 1851. Following this he studied in the seminary at Baltimore three years, at the end of which time he sailed for Rome. After three years’ diligent study for the priesthood he was ordained by Cardinal Patrizzi, December 20, 1856. In 1857 he returned to his native city, fully prepared to meet the requirements of his church as priest, and was stationed as pastor of St. Martin’s church and principal of the House of the Good Shepherd up to November 4, 1888. Thirty-two years of service was meritoriously recognized in 1888 when he was made Bishop of Detroit Diocese. Since his election to that office in the church he has been instrumental in effecting many improvements in the Diocese, especially in the City of Detroit. Four new parishes have been organized, a site for a new cathedral has been acquired, and adjacent to it he has erected a handsome parochial school building, which is among one of the finest buildings devoted to educational purposes in the city. He is an eloquent, polished and convincing speaker, and is especially noted for his kindness and consideration of all with whom he comes into contact, and is beloved by his clergy and laity. He is a scholar of rare ability and was a contemporary of His Eminence James Cardinal Gibbons, and a lifelong friend, and while assigned to duty in Baltimore was one of his chief advisers.

Robert Budd Ross, George B. Catlin, and Clarence Monroe Burton, Landmarks of Detroit: A History of the City (Detroit: The Evening News Association, 1898), 956-957.


NOTE
John Samuel Foley was Bishop of Detroit for thirty years (1888-1918). During his tenure, Detroit’s population grew from less than 200,000 to nearly one million. These were also years of great growth for the Church in Detroit. His brother Thomas was Bishop of Chicago from 1870 to 1879.