Denis Mary Bradley
| His Excellency, The Right Reverend Denis Mary Bradley | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Manchester | |
| |
| See | Diocese of Manchester |
| Successor | John Bernard Delany |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 3, 1871 by Bernard John McQuaid |
| Consecration | June 11, 1884 by John Joseph Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 25, 1846 Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland |
| Died | December 13, 1903 (aged 57) Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Education | College of the Holy Cross (AB) St. Joseph's Seminary |
| Motto | Ite ad Joseph (Go to Joseph) |
Denis Mary Bradley (February 25, 1846 – December 13, 1903) was an Irish-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Manchester in New Hampshire from 1884 until his death in 1903. Bradley was a co-founder of Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.
Biography
Early life
Denis Bradley was born on February 25, 1846, in Castleisland, County Kerry in Ireland. When Bradley was eight years old, his father died. His mother immigrated with the family to the United States, settling in Manchester, New Hampshire. Bradley attended Park Street Grammar School and other Catholic schools in Manchester.
In 1863, Bradley entered the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. According to a contemporary account, Bradley was an introspective and serious student. He graduated from Holy Cross in June 1867. In September 1867, Bradley enrolled at St. Joseph's Seminary in Troy, New York.[1][2]
Priesthood
Bradley was ordained a priest in Troy by Bishop Bernard McQuaid for the Diocese of Portland in Maine on June 3, 1871. At that time, this diocese included both Maine and New Hampshire.[3] After his ordination, Bradley was given a pastoral assignment to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Maine. He was eventually appointed as rector of the cathedral and chancellor of the diocese.
In 1879, Bradley took a six-month trip to Europe for health reasons.[4] After returning to Maine, he was still not able to keep up with all of his job responsibilities. In June 1880, Bishop James Healy moved Bradley to the less demanding position of pastor of St. Joseph's Parish in Manchester, New Hampshire.[1][4]
Bishop of Manchester
On April 18, 1884, Pope Leo XIII appointed Bradley as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Manchester. He was consecrated on June 11, 1884, by Archbishop John Williams at St. Joseph's Church in Manchester.[3] Bradley was the first graduate of St. Joseph's Seminary to be appointed bishop.
In the rural parts of New Hampshire, there were many scattered Catholics, and Bradley's first efforts were directed towards providing for them. He held the first synod of the diocese on October 24, 1886.[5]
At some point in the 1880s, Bradley contacted the Benedictine monks at Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, about creating a Catholic college in New Hampshire. Saint Anselm College opened in Goffstown, New Hampshire in 1889.[6]
Death and legacy
During a mass in early December 1903, Bradley collapsed at the altar. Denis Bradley died in Manchester of chronic gastritis on December 13, 1903, at age 57.[7] Bradley House at Saint Anselm College was named after him.[8]
Other Sources
- Catholic News files (New York, December, 1903) at Catholic Directory (Milwaukee, WI: 1904)
- Reuss, Biog. Encyl. Of the Cath. Hierarchy (Milwaukee, WI: 1898)
- Gabriels, History of St. Joseph's Seminary, Troy (New York: 1906)
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
Denis Mary Bradley — First Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.A., b. 25 February, 1846, at Castle-island, County Kerry, Ireland; d. at Manchester 13 December, 1903. Shortly after his father's death his mother, with a family of five, emigrated to the United States and settled at Manchester. He was then eight years old. After attending the local schools, he was sent to Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1863, and closed his academic career there in June, 1867. He was then enrolled as an ecclesiastical student at St. Joseph's Seminary, Troy, New York, where he was ordained priest 3 June, 1871. Shortly after this he was located at Portland, Maine, under Bishop Bacon, and subsequently under Bishop Healy, by whom he was appointed rector of the cathedral and chancellor of the diocese. In June, 1881, he was made pastor of St. Joseph's, Manchester, which became his cathedral when he was consecrated first Bishop of the new See of Manchester, 11 June, 1884. He had the honour of being the first alumnus of St. Joseph's Seminary of Troy, New York, to be raised to the episcopacy.
In the rural sections of New Hampshire thee were many scattered Catholics who up to that time had few facilities for practising their faith, and his first and earnest efforts were directed towards providing for them, and with the most gratifying results. He held the first synod of the diocese 24 October, 1886, and under the energizing influence of his zeal and enthusiasm there was a general upbuiliding of Catholicism throughout the State. The silver jubilee of his ordination was made the occasion of a striking demonstration of his great personal popularity, and this had another manifestation when every non-Catholic pulpit in Manchester bore sincere testimony to the loss his death had occasioned to the city and to the State.
Catholic News files (New York, December, 1903); Catholic Directory (Milwaukee, 1904); REUSS, Biog. Encyl. Of the Cath. Hierarchy (Milwaukee, 1898); GABRIELS, History of St. Joseph's Seminary, Troy (New York, 1906).
References
- Back to citation occurrence 1.0 Back to citation occurrence 1.1 Willey, George Franklyn (1903). State Builders: An Illustrated Historical and Biographical Record of the State of New Hampshire at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century. New Hampshire Publishing Corporation.
- Back to citation Byrne, William (1899). Introductory [by] William Byrne. Archdiocese of Boston [by] W. A. Leahy. Diocese of Providence [by] Austin Dowling. Diocese of Portland [by] E. J. A. Young. Diocese of Manchester [by] J. E. Finen. Hurd & Everts Company.
- Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 "Bishop Denis Mary Bradley [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- Back to citation occurrence 4.0 Back to citation occurrence 4.1 Hurd, Duane Hamilton (1885). History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. J. W. Lewis & Company.
- Back to citation Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Denis Mary Bradley". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Back to citation "History & Mission | Saint Anselm College". www.anselm.edu. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- Back to citation "Bishop Denis Mary Bradley [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 4 June 2022; The Holy Cross Purple. College of the Holy Cross. 1903; "DEATH OF BISHOP BRADLEY; Head of the Diocese of New Hampshire Passes Away with His Priests Around Him". The New York Times. 14 December 1903. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- Back to citation "Climbing the Hill: Women of Saint Anselm College". www.anselm.edu. Retrieved 15 November 2025.