Edward Mary Fitzgerald, born on October 28, 1833, in Limerick, Ireland, left an enduring imprint as an Irish-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Serving as the Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock in Arkansas from 1867 until his passing on February 20, 1907, Fitzgerald’s life unfolded as a tapestry woven with dedication, service, and significant contributions to the growth of Catholicism in the United States.
Fitzgerald’s early years were rooted in Limerick, where he was born to James and Joanna Fitzgerald. Among eight siblings, one, Joseph, also embraced the calling of priesthood. The family’s immigration to the United States in 1849, amidst the aftermath of the Great Famine of Ireland, marked the commencement of a transformative journey for young Edward. His educational odyssey took him to St. Mary’s of the Barrens Seminary in Perryville, Missouri, from 1850 to 1852, followed by theological studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell on August 22, 1857, Fitzgerald’s pastoral journey commenced with the healing of ethnic divisions between Irish and German immigrants at St. Patrick’s Parish in Columbus. His commitment to unity extended to the troubled times of the American Civil War, during which he organized the Montgomery Guards, an Irish-American military company that fought on the Union side. Notably, he also ministered to Confederate Army prisoners at Camp Chase in Columbus.
In April 1866, Pope Pius IX appointed Fitzgerald as the second bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, a position initially met with reluctance but later accepted in obedience to the Holy See in December 1866. At the age of 33, Fitzgerald, consecrated by Archbishop Purcell on February 3, 1867, became the youngest member of the American hierarchy.
Fitzgerald’s tenure as Bishop of Little Rock witnessed remarkable growth in the diocese. Arriving in Arkansas in 1867, he navigated the challenges left by the Civil War, rebuilding churches and missions. By the time of his death in 1907, the diocese had flourished to encompass 41 churches with resident priests, 32 missions, and 20,000 Catholics. A proponent of Catholic immigration, Fitzgerald welcomed communities from Germany, Italy, and Poland, introducing the Benedictine Sisters and the Sisters of Charity.
His attendance at the First Vatican Council in Rome from 1869 to 1870 marked a significant chapter, where he notably voted against papal infallibility, expressing concerns about its potential impact on non-Catholic conversion in Arkansas. Despite his reservations, Fitzgerald embraced the Council’s decision with full submission.
Fitzgerald’s legacy extended beyond spiritual leadership. He laid the foundation for St. Andrew’s Cathedral, delivered the opening sermon at the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884, and inaugurated St. Vincent’s Infirmary, Arkansas’s first hospital, in 1888. In 1894, he dedicated the first Catholic church in Arkansas for African Americans in Pine Bluff.
The later years of Fitzgerald’s life were marked by personal challenges, including a stroke in January 1900 that left him paralyzed. Pope Pius X appointed Father John Morris as his coadjutor bishop in June 1906. Fitzgerald, who battled not only physical ailments but also depression, passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on February 20, 1907, at the age of 73. His final resting place is a crypt beneath St. Andrew’s Cathedral, a testament to a life dedicated to faith, service, and the growth of Catholicism in the American South.
Catholic Times and Opinion – Friday 08 March 1907
