Edward Cornelius O’Leary

Born on August 21, 1920, Edward Cornelius O’Leary was named the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Portland on October 16, 1974 and was consecrated as bishop on December 18, 1974. He was a native of Bangor and attended a seminary in Ottawa. Bishop O’Leary was ordained to the priesthood in 1946 and was a much appreciated pastor and chancellor, serving at parishes around Maine through his appointment as auxiliary bishop in 1970. During Bishop O’Leary’s tenure, the Church in Maine experienced both an increase in population and a decline in the number of priests, leading to the first planning process to manage those trends. Bishop O’Leary appointed women for the first time to positions of leadership in the Office of Catholic Schools, the Diocesan Tribunal and the Chancellor’s Office. Like Bishops Healy, Walsh, and Feeney before him, Bishop O’Leary took frequent public stands on a number of social issues of importance to the Church. He retired for reasons of health in 1988 and received the title of Bishop Emeritus of Portland. In that role, he continued to assist the current bishop until his death on April 2, 2002.