Rt. Rev. Thomas O'Gorman Biography


	This biography appears on pages 340-343 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				RT. REV. THOMAS O'GORMAN. 

	Rt. Rev. Thomas O'Gorman, D. D., bishop of Sioux Falls, which 
includes all the portion of the state east of the Missouri river with 
episcopal residence at Sioux Falls, is considered on all sides as one 
of the most erudite, refined and highly cultured ecclesiastics this 
country possesses. His magnetic charm of manner, his geniality and 
unvarying kindness have won for him the deep and abiding affections of 
all irrespective of creed or nationality, who have come in contact with 
him. 

	Bishop O'Gorman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, May 1, 1843, 
but during his childhood days the family home was established in 
Chicago by his parents, John and Margaret O'Gorman, who after some 
years removed to St. Paul, Minnesota. It was in the public and 
parochial schools of that city that he acquired his early education. He 
was but ten and one-half years of age when in company with the now 
distinguished Archbishop Ireland, then a youth of sixteen, he was sent 
to France, where he resumed his literary studies and also entered upon 
preparation for the priesthood. He spent about twelve years in study 
abroad and upon his return to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1865 was ordained 
priest on the 5th of November of that year. His first pastoral duties 
were in connection with a missionary district in southern Minnesota 
with Rochester as a central point. There he continued until 1878, when 
he joined the Paulist Fathers in their missionary work and during a 
portion of two years was an assistant in the church of St. Paul in New 
York city. His efforts were more largely concentrated upon the 
educational department of Catholic activity when in 1885 he was made 
the first president of the College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, 
in which institution he also filled the chairs of philosophy and 
dogmatic theology. In 1900 he was appointed professor of ecclesiastical 
history in the Roman Catholic University at Washington, D. C., where he 
remained until April, 1896, when he was consecrated bishop of the 
diocese of Sioux Falls, being the second incumbent of that see. 

	While a resident of Washington Bishop O'Gorman was selected to 
write a history of the Roman Catholic church in the United States, a 
work which he successful accomplished, this becoming volume nine of the 
series of denominational church histories published under the auspices 
of the American Society of Church History. Of his work in this 
connection it has been said: "This volume evidences the fact that no 
mistake was made in his being selected for the work. It covers a wider 
field than any other volume of the series, commencing with the first 
landing of Columbus on this continent and, advancing step by step, 
giver a complete account of the development and growth of the church to 
the present time. It is a great work, written in a most attractive and 
scholarly style, and places the bishop in the front rank of historical 
writers." 

	Another quotation will perhaps serve best to indicate something 
of the nature of his duties, the extent of his work and the beneficial 
effect of his influence. "On the 2d of May, 1896, Bishop O'Gorman 
arrived in Sioux Falls, accompanied by Archbishop Ireland, of St. Paul, 
and many other high dignitaries of the church. The reception, the 
ceremonies of the installation the day following, in St. Michael's 
church, and the banquet tendered him, will always be remembered by 
participants as among the grandest events in the history of the city. 
It is not too much to say that a more cordial and elaborate welcome was 
never given to anyone in Sioux Falls; and one of the most pleasing 
features attending the coming of this eminent prelate to our midst was 
the hearty cooperation of the clergy of other denominations in making 
the event a notable one. Since coming to South Dakota he has labored 
with great zeal and ability in advancing the welfare of his church; and 
under his administration some of the finest and most costly church 
buildings in the state have been erected. The bishop is greatly beloved 
by his people, and throughout the state, regardless of denominational 
preferences, he is highly esteemed, while the city of Sioux Falls is 
especially proud of her distinguished citizen." A contemporary 
biographer has written: "Both by inherent qualities and training the 
bishop is eminently fitted for leadership in both the spiritual and 
temporal affairs of his exalted calling, and his labors are fruitful in 
a cumulative way and will constitute for all time an integral part of 
the history of not only the church but also of the commonwealth in 
which he is serving so faithfully and zealously. In 1902 Bishop 
O'Gorman  went to the city of Rome as a member of the Taft commission, 
to which was assigned the work of negotiating with the church 
authorities upon the important business and civic questions connected 
with the church in the Philippine islands, and in connection with this 
work  he was absent from his diocese for four months." 

	It would be tautological in this connection to enter into any 
series of statements showing Bishop O'Gorman to be a broad-minded man 
and one who is regarded as a prominent representative of the Catholic 
clergy of the new world. Important commissions have been entrusted to 
him, for which he has been well qualified, owing to his liberal 
education, his ready tact, his clear understanding and his sympathetic 
interpretation of the situation and its demands.