James Frederick Wood, Philadelphia\u2019s first native-born bishop, has been overshadowed by his predecessor, St. John Neumann. Raised a Unitarian, Wood was one of the first converts to be named an archbishop in America. Just before the War of 1812 his parents emigrated from England to Philadelphia. When he was a teenager, his family moved to Cincinnati, where he became a bank clerk.\n
In Cincinnati, the young man befriended Bishop John Purcell, who encouraged his interest in Catholicism. In 1836, Wood was received into the Church. Within a few months he quit his job and sailed for Rome. There he studied for the priesthood and was ordained in 1844. Back in America, his banking experience would serve him well as a pastor and administrator. One historian writes that Wood \u201cwas acknowledged by the financial world as thoroughly acquainted with ever phase of the banking business<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\nIn February 1857, Father Wood was named a bishop to assist St. John Neumann in Philadelphia. (It was said of Neumann that he \u201cwas an apostle, not an administrator<\/em>.\u201d The latter was Wood\u2019s strength.) In 1860, he succeeded Neumann as bishop of whatw as then the largest American diocese, covering all of Pennsylvania and Delaware. Reserved and private, Bishop Wood was called \u201cthe shadow,\u201d but he was one of those bishops whose accomplishments spoke much.<\/p>\nUnder Bishop Wood, Philadelphia became one of America\u2019s best organized dioceses. A sizeable network of parishes, schools, hospitals and orphanages was expanded and developed; new religious orders of men and women arrived; vocations grew and immigration increased the Catholic population. Two of his most significant legacies are the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, which he completed in 1864, and moving St. Charles Borromeo Seminary to its current location in Overbrook.<\/p>\n
In 1868, at his request, three new dioceses were created in Pennsylvania and Delaware: Harrisburg, Scranton, and Wilmington. In 1875, Philadelphia was raised to archdiocesan status, and Wood was made its first archbishop. Plagued by rheumatism and Bright\u2019s disease in his later years, he spent much of his time in Florida. At the time of his death, he was hailed as one of the city\u2019s \u201cmost beloved sons<\/em>.\u201d <\/p><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"James Frederick Wood, Philadelphia\u2019s first native-born bishop, has been overshadowed by his predecessor, St. John Neumann. Raised a Unitarian, Wood was one of the first converts to be named an archbishop in America. Just before the War of 1812 his parents emigrated from England to Philadelphia. When he was a teenager, his family moved to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1042,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a> <\/p>\n