Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Saint Louis (Mo.)

The Sulpician Louis William Valentine Dubourg, who had been the administrator of the Louisiana Territory since 1812, was named Bishop of Louisiana in 1815. Joseph Rosati was consecrated his coadjutor in 1825. When Dubourg resigned in 1826, the diocese was divided into the dioceses of New Orleans and St. Louis with Rosati as first bishop of St. Louis.

Peter Richard Kenrick was named Rosati's coadjutor in 1841, and succeeded him in 1843 to begin a 52-year term as bishop and archbishop. (St. Louis was elevated to an archiepiscopal see in 1847). Upon Kenrick's return from attending Vatican Council I (1869-1870) where he had voiced strong opposition to the doctrine of papal infallibility, he went into seclusion leaving diocesan affairs in the hands of his coadjutor, Patrick John Ryan.

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