John Cody facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence John Patrick Cody |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop of Chicago | |
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| See | Chicago |
| Appointed | June 14, 1965 |
| Enthroned | August 24, 1965 |
| Reign ended | April 25, 1982 |
| Predecessor | Albert Gregory Meyer |
| Successor | Joseph Bernardin |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 8, 1931 |
| Consecration | July 2, 1947 by Joseph Ritter |
| Created Cardinal | June 26, 1967 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 24, 1907 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | April 25, 1982 (aged 74) Chicago, Illinois |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | MAGNIFICAT ANIMA MEA (MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY) |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of John Cody |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Chicago |
John Patrick Cody (December 24, 1907 – April 25, 1982) was an American cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He served as a bishop in Kansas City–Saint Joseph and New Orleans. Later, he became the Archbishop of Chicago. He was made a cardinal in 1967.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Growing Up and Education
John Cody was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 24, 1907. His father, Thomas Joseph Cody, was an immigrant from Ireland and became a deputy chief in the St. Louis Fire Department. John went to Holy Rosary Parochial School. When he was 13, he started studying at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary.
In 1926, he moved to Rome, Italy, to continue his studies at the Pontifical North American College. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1928 and a Doctor of Sacred Theology in 1932.
Serving as a Priest
John Cody became a priest on December 8, 1931. He stayed in Rome for six years. During this time, he worked at the North American College and for the Vatican Secretariat of State. In 1938, he earned another degree, a Doctor of Canon Law. He also received the Benemerenti medal for his work.
After returning to the United States, Cody worked as a private secretary for Archbishop John J. Glennon in St. Louis. In 1940, he became the chancellor for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He was given special titles within the Church in 1939 and 1946.
Serving as a Bishop
On May 10, 1947, Pope Pius XII chose John Cody to be an Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis. He became a bishop on July 2, 1947, in the Cathedral of St. Louis.
He was later appointed to serve in other dioceses. On January 27, 1954, he became a coadjutor to the Bishop of Saint Joseph, Missouri. He then became the Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph on August 29, 1956.
In 1961, he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. He was first a coadjutor to the archbishop there. Then, he became the apostolic administrator in 1962. On November 8, 1964, he became the Archbishop of New Orleans.
Desegregation Efforts
In New Orleans, Archbishop Cody became well-known for his work in desegregating Catholic schools. His predecessor, Joseph Rummel, had started this effort. Cody continued this important work. He faced strong opposition, but he did not give up. He believed the Church had a key role in bringing about understanding and love among all races. He also felt that integrated schools helped people accept the Church's teaching on equality.
Archbishop of Chicago
Leading the Archdiocese
John Cody was appointed Archbishop of Chicago on June 14, 1965. He officially took on this role on August 24, 1965. On June 26, 1967, he was made a cardinal.
His time in Chicago had some challenges. There were concerns about how Church funds were managed. These issues led to public discussions.
Disagreements and Challenges
Cardinal Cody sometimes had different ideas about leadership than some priests in his archdiocese. He disagreed with some decisions made by the Apostolic Delegate, Jean Jadot.
He also had disagreements with Father George Clements. This happened as Black Catholics in Chicago wanted more Black leaders in their parishes. They especially wanted Black priests to lead Black churches. Cardinal Cody appointed a different Black priest, Father Rollins Lambert, to a parish where Father Clements was expected to be named pastor. The community was upset because they felt this was an attempt to avoid appointing Father Clements, who was a well-known activist.
A series of community meetings followed. Eventually, Father Lambert agreed with Father Clements and others. He felt that Cardinal Cody's actions were not helping racial understanding. Father Lambert asked for Father Clements to be made pastor. Cardinal Cody eventually agreed.
There were also disagreements about how to include African American culture into church practices. Black Catholics wanted to bring their traditions into the Church. Cardinal Cody often opposed these changes. For example, Father Clements replaced a statue of St. Anthony of Padua in his parish with an altar to Martin Luther King Jr.. Father Clements said this was because of popular support for King. However, Cardinal Cody did not agree. He threatened to stop financial support for the parish if the St. Anthony statue was not put back. Father Clements, who was friends with members of the Black Panther Party, told Cody he would have to move the statue himself. The statue remained elsewhere. Cardinal Cody did stop financial support for a time, and the parish raised money through fundraisers.
Later Life and Death
As Cardinal Cody's health declined in the early 1980s, the disagreements with his leadership became less intense. He passed away on April 25, 1982, at the age of 74. He was buried in the Bishops' Mausoleum at Mount Carmel Cemetery (Hillside, Illinois). Joseph Bernardin, who had different views, became the new Archbishop of Chicago after Cody.
Images for kids
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Cardinal Cody's final resting place
