Michael Francis Egan
|
The Right Reverend Michael Francis Egan O.F.M. |
|
|---|---|
| Bishop of Philadelphia | |
 |
|
| Province | Baltimore |
| Diocese | Philadelphia |
| Appointed | April 8, 1808 |
| Installed | October 28, 1810 |
| Term ended | July 22, 1814 |
| Predecessor | none |
| Successor | Henry Conwell |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1785 or 1786 |
| Consecration | October 28, 1810 by John Carroll |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 29, 1761 Ireland |
| Died | July 22, 1814 (aged 52) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Michael Francis Egan, O.F.M. (September 29, 1761 – July 22, 1814) was an Irish, later American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Born in Ireland in 1761, he joined the Franciscan Order at a young age. He served as a priest in Rome, Ireland, and Pennsylvania and became known as a gifted preacher. In 1808, Egan was appointed the first Bishop of Philadelphia, holding that position until his death in 1814. Egan's tenure as bishop saw the construction of new churches and the expansion of the Catholic Church membership in his diocese, but much of his time was consumed by disputes with the lay trustees of his pro-cathedral, St. Mary's Church in Philadelphia. He died in Philadelphia, probably of tuberculosis, in 1814.
Michael Francis Egan was born in Ireland on September 29, 1761. The exact location of his birth is uncertain. Early biographers believed Egan was possibly born in Galway, though more recent scholarship suggests it was actually Limerick. He joined the Order of Friars Minor (commonly known as the Franciscans) and studied at the Old University of Leuven and Charles University in Prague. Egan received minor orders, subdiaconate, and diaconate at Mechelen, in modern-day Belgium. He was ordained a priest, probably in Prague, in 1785 or 1786. While studying on the continent, Egan became fluent in German.
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