Title
Honoring The Life and Legacy of Bishop Joseph P. McFadden, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.
Body
WHEREAS, Philadelphia Bishop Joseph P. McFadden epitomized what it meant to be a "true Philadelphian." One of four children of Thomas and Ellen Griffin McFadden, the Bishop was baptized at St. Rose of Lima Church, graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes Grade School, both in Overbrook, and was a 1965 graduate of St. Thomas More High School, where he was class valedictorian and a standout basketball player; and
WHEREAS, At his alma mater, St. Joseph University, McFadden was on the freshman basketball team and earned a bachelor of science degree in political science in 1969; and
WHEREAS, He taught and coached both basketball and baseball at West Catholic High School, becoming Athletic Director in 1972 and leading the basketball team to a berth in the Catholic League championship game in 1976. Bishop McFadden is the school's only Hall of Fame inductee who did not graduate from West Catholic; and
WHEREAS, Bishop McFadden, at the age of 29, chose to put aside his dream of becoming an NCAA basketball coach to enter St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, graduating summa cum laude and being ordained into the priesthood on May 16th, 1981 by Cardinal John Krol; and
WHEREAS, Shortly after ordination, Cardinal Krol appointed Bishop McFadden as his administrative secretary, a position he held until becoming the first President of Cardinal O'Hara High School in 1993. O'Hara always held a special place in the Bishop's heart, where students and alumni will forever refer to Bishop McFadden by his nickname, "Monz"; and
WHEREAS, Bishop McFadden was consecrated as a Bishop in 2004 and was given the responsibility of overseeing the archdiocesan school system. Two years later he was appointed as the head of the archdiocese's capital campaign, raising pledges of over $200 million; and
WHEREAS, After spending six years as an auxilia...
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