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His Excellency The Most Reverend John Roach
Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Roach and President Reagan in the Oval Office in 1982
Church	Catholic Church
Appointed	May 21, 1975
Term ended	September 8, 1995
Predecessor	Leo Binz
Successor	Harry Flynn
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1971–1975) Titular Bishop of Cenae (1971–1975)
Orders
Ordination	June 18, 1946 by John Gregory Murray
Consecration	September 8, 1971 by Luigi Raimondi, Leo Binz, Leo Christopher Byrne
Personal details
Born	July 31, 1921 Prior Lake, Minnesota
Died	July 11, 2003 Saint Paul
Buried	Resurrection Cemetery, Mendota Heights
Nationality	American
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Alma mater	Saint Paul Seminary

John Robert Roach (July 31, 1921 – July 11, 2003) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis from 1975 to 1995. The first St. Paul archbishop to have been born in Minnesota, Roach had national prominence as deliverer of benediction at Jimmy Carter's inauguration in 1977 and head of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1980 to 1983. His tenure was also touched by scandal, with a drunk driving arrest and failure to properly handle sexual abuse cases by clergy. His impact on the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, is commemorated by a building renamed after him.

Early life

John Robert Roach was born on July 31, 1921, in Prior Lake, Minnesota, to Simon and Mary Roach. The eldest of three children, he had two younger sisters—Virginia and Mona. Growing up, he worked at the general store in Prior Lake owned by his father. He attended Shakopee High School for two years before transferring in his junior year to Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary. In 1941, he began at Saint Paul Seminary. Because of World War II, he was placed on an accelerated path to ordination and was ordained a priest on June 18, 1946, while only 24 years old, by Archbishop John Gregory Murray. He also received a master's degree in education from the University of Minnesota.

Priesthood

Roach was first assigned to the Church of Saint Stephen in Minneapolis. Only there for the summer, when the fall arrived he was assigned to Saint Thomas Academy where he served as an instructor of Latin and religion. From 1951 to 1968, he was the headmaster of the school. As headmaster, he oversaw the 1965 move of the academy from sharing a campus with the College of Saint Thomas to its own location in Mendota Heights. He was named a monsignor in 1965. From 1968 to 1971, he served as the founding rector of Saint John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul.

Episcopacy

Auxiliary bishop

On July 12, 1971, at the age of 49, Roach was appointed titular bishop of Cenae and an auxiliary bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis; he was consecrated on September 8, 1971. Archbishop Luigi Raimondi was the primary consecrator, with Leo Binz and Leo Christopher Byrne serving as principal co-consecrators. From 1971 to 1973, Roach served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo parish in St. Anthony; from 1973 to 1975, he served as pastor of St. Cecilia in St. Paul.

Archbishop

Roach was appointed to succeed Leo Binz as Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on May 21, 1975, and was installed on July 16, 1975. He was the first priest born in the archdiocese to be named the archbishop.

In 1977, Roach delivered a benediction at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. Roach served as the president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1980 to 1983. During his tenure, the NCCB strongly advocated for nuclear disarmament and economic justice. During his last months as president, the NCCB issued the controversial pastoral letter on war and peace, "The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response". During the drafting process, President Ronald Reagan involved himself, appealing to Holy See for a letter that would distance itself from the Nuclear Freeze campaign. Roach publicly complained about the interference. In addition to his time as NCCB president, Roach would also served as chairman of the National Catholic Educational Association from 1986 to 1989, and president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference.

Roach oversaw the implementation of a permanent diaconate program in the Archdiocese in the wake of Vatican II, ordaining the first group of 12 permanent deacons on April 25, 1976.

At a Jewish-Christian interfaith event on May 13, 1977, Roach was giving an acceptance speech for an award when a man threw a chocolate-cream pie at Roach. The man, 22-year-old Patrick Schwartz, did so as a protest against the Catholic Church's views on homosexuality. George Casey, a Jesuit priest and former chaplain to a group for gay Catholics, had offered $20 to anyone who would hit Roach with a pie. In 1985, Roach founded a diocesan AIDS ministry, providing support to those with AIDS and their family members and providing anointing of the sick to those with the disease. The archdiocese also started a support group for gay and lesbian persons wishing to remain celibate.

Roach made national news when he was arrested for drunk driving on February 21, 1985, after driving his car into the wall of a Tom Thumb convenience store in Lindstrom, Minnesota. He was discovered to have a blood alcohol count of 0.19. His license was suspended for 90 days; during that time, he was limited to driving only for official clerical business between Tuesday and Sunday, as well as the court-required alcohol education program. During a homily at a Mass before youth at World Youth Day 1993 in Denver, he admitted that he was an alcoholic. He received a standing ovation at the end of Mass.

Roach left a major impact on the operations of the Saint Paul Seminary. He oversaw the 1987–1989 renovation of Saint Mary's Chapel, and the demolition of the old administration building and construction of a new one, as well as construction of new dormitories. Roach oversaw the 1987 merger and affiliation agreement between the College of Saint Thomas and seminary, which until that point had been separate intuitions with adjacent campuses. As part of the affiliation, much of the land of the campus of the seminary was sold to the college to create the current south campus, and the college became the degree-issued institution for the seminary.

His tenure as archbishop was also marred by his poor handling of the cases of sexual abuse by clergy, which was seen as too lenient. In one case, Roach was alleged to have protected and reassigned a priest accused of raping girls.

On February 22, 1994, Bishop Harry Flynn, the Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana, was appointed coadjutor bishop and became the presumptive successor of Roach. On September 5, 1995, Roach's retirement was accepted. While Roach was only 74, a year younger than the normal retirement age, he said considered Flynn ready to take over.

Retirement and death

When he retired, Roach stated that he intended to do mission work in local parishes and work on a project with the National Conference of Catholic Bishops to evaluate Catholic social teaching in Catholic schools. He moved into the same apartment at Saint Thomas Academy where he had lived when he taught there.

In 2000, the University of St. Thomas changed the name of Albertus Magnus Hall to the John R. Roach Center for Liberal Arts in recognition of his 20 years of service as chairman of the St. Thomas board of trustees, after a $9.8 million ($17.3 million in 2023) renovation to the 1947 Collegiate Gothic building.

Roach died of heart failure on July 11, 2003, at the Little Sisters of the Poor home in St. Paul. Over 2,500 attended his funeral at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, including 300 priests and 15 bishops. Bishop John Kinney gave the sermon. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and former vice-president Walter Mondale were also in attendance. Roach was buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights.

Notes

1. Schwartz later pled guilty to disorderly conduct and would later attempt to pie Anita Bryant as well.

References

1. ^ Athens, Mary Christine (2013). To Work for the Whole People: John Ireland's Seminary in St. Paul. New York: Paulist Press. ISBN 9780809105458.
2. Filteau, Jerry (August 1, 2003). "Minnesota's Archbishop Roach dies". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
3. ^ "Archbishop John Robert Roach". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
4. ^ "Archbishop John Roach Dies Friday". St. Thomas Newsroom. July 14, 2003. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
5. Meier, Peg (September 22, 1975). "Archbishop concludes archdiocese is strong". Minneapolis Tribune. pp. 1A, 8A. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "New Quarters". The Minneapolis Star. August 31, 1965. p. 74.
7. "History". Saint John Vianney College Seminary. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
8. ^ "Archbishop John Roach 1921-2003" (PDF). The Catholic Spirit. July 24, 2003. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
9. "State's new archbishop anxious to get to work". The Winona Daily News. Associated Press. June 13, 1975. p. 9. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
10. ^ Sawyer Allen, Martha; Maria Elena, Baca (July 17, 2003). "Archbishop Roach laid to rest". Star Tribune. pp. B3. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
11. "Inauguration day opens with prayer". Progress Bulletin. Associated Press. January 20, 1977. p. 3. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
12. ^ "Former Archbishop John Roach dies". The Winona Daily News. Associated Press. July 12, 2003. p. 4. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
13. Surlis, Paul (1983). "The Challenge of Peace: The U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter on War and Peace". The Furrow. 34 (8): 485–491. ISSN 0016-3120.
14. Miller, Kay (November 19, 1983). "Bishops begin pastoral letters on women's issues, capitalism". Star Tribune. p. 5. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
15. McBrady, Jared (2015). "The Challenge of Peace: Ronald Reagan, John Paul II, and the American Bishops". Journal of Cold War Studies. 17 (1): 129–152. ISSN 1520-3972. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
16. ^ Kimball, Joe (September 9, 1995). "Archbishop John Roach retires after 20 years". Star Tribune. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
17. "Most Reverend John R Roach - Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis". Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. January 15, 2019.
18. "Catholic church to ordain married men". The Minneapolis Star. April 24, 1976. pp. 4A. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
19. Gendler, Neal (May 13, 1977). "Archbishop Roach hit in face with pie as protest". Minneapolis Tribune. p. 1.
20. Davies, Tom (May 14, 1977). "Pie attack on archbishop believed planned by priest". Minneapolis Tribune. pp. 1A, 9A.
21. "Pie tosser gets work sentence". The Journal Times. June 17, 1977. p. 16. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
22. Simbro, William (October 15, 1977). "Pie shoved in Anita Bryant's face by homosexual here -- she cries". The Des Moines Register. p. 3. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
23. Thorkelson, Wilmar (June 2, 1977). "Jesuit confesses paying for pie throw". The Minneapolis Star. p. 2. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
24. Bentley, Rosalind (October 15, 1988). "AIDS seminary shows more than one face". Star Tribune. pp. 3B.
25. International, United Press (March 3, 1985). "Archbishop Loses License for 90 Days for Drunk Driving". Retrieved November 28, 2017 – via LA Times.
26. "Archbishop has license lifted for 90 days". Star Tribune. March 2, 1985. pp. 1A, 5A. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
27. ^ Sawyer Allen, Martha (July 12, 2003). "He led with decorum and acumen". Star Tribune. pp. A1, A16.
28. Sawyer Allen, Martha (August 13, 1993). "Roach says he's an alcoholic". Star Tribune. pp. 1A, 14A. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
29. Scheck, Tom (July 11, 2003). "MPR: Former Archbishop John Roach dies". MPR News. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
30. Baran, Madeleine (August 11, 2014). "Inside the documents: How archbishops protected accused priest". MPR News. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
31. Robertson, Tatsha (February 23, 1994). "Archbishop's probable successor is selected". Star Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
32. "Archbishop Harry Joseph Flynn". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
33. Winterer, Jim (2000). "Albertus Magnus Hall now John R. Roach Center for the Liberal Arts". University of St. Thomas Newsroom. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
34. "Faithful bid farewell to Twin Cities' Archbishop Roach". The Albert Lea Tribune. Associated Press. July 17, 2003. p. 6. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
35. Hrbacek, Dave (October 10, 2019). "Archbishop laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery" (PDF). The Catholic Spirit. p. 8A. Retrieved December 30, 2024.

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph Crétin Thomas Grace Archbishops John Ireland Austin Dowling John Gregory Murray William O. Brady Leo Binz John Roach Harry Joseph Flynn John Clayton Nienstedt Bernard Hebda Coadjutor archbishop Leo Christopher Byrne
Auxiliary bishops	John Jeremiah Lawler James J. Byrne Leonard Philip Cowley Gerald Francis O'Keefe James P. Shannon John Roach Raymond Alphonse Lucker Paul Vincent Dudley John Francis Kinney William Henry Bullock James Richard Ham Robert James Carlson Joseph Charron Lawrence Welsh Frederick F. Campbell Richard Pates Lee A. Piché Andrew H. Cozzens Joseph Andrew Williams Michael Izen Kevin Kenney
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of Saint Paul Basilica of Saint Mary Former cathedrals First Second Third Parishes Guardian Angels Church, Chaska St. Peter's Church, Mendota Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis Church of St. Stephen, Minneapolis Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague Church of St. Mark, Saint Paul Church of St. Mary, New Trier Church of St. Michael, St. Michael Church of the Assumption, St. Paul Church of St. Agnes, St. Paul Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul Church of St. Casimir, St. Paul St. Mary's Church of the Purification, Marystown Church of the Annunciation, Webster Township Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wheatland Township Historic Church of St. Hubertus, Chanhassen Chapel Our Lady of Victory Chapel
Education	Higher education St. Catherine University University of St. Thomas Seminaries Saint John Vianney College Seminary Saint Paul Seminary Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary (defunct) High schools Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Bethlehem Academy, Faribault Chesterton Academy, Edina Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis Hill-Murray School, Maplewood Holy Family Catholic High School, Victoria Providence Academy, Plymouth Saint Agnes School, St. Paul Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights Totino-Grace High School, Fridley
Priests	Joseph Francis Busch Peter F. Christensen Alexander Christie Jozef Cieminski James Louis Connolly Timothy J. Corbett Donald DeGrood James Albert Duffy Hilary Baumann Hacker Patrick Richard Heffron Patrick J. Hessian Michael Joncas James Keane Kevin Kenney John M. LeVoir James McGolrick Francis Missia Thomas O'Gorman Augustin Ravoux James Michael Reardon James O'Reilly Jakub W.J. Pacholski John A. Ryan Patrick J. Ryan Francis Joseph Schenk Alphonse James Schladweiler John Shanley Paul Sirba John Stariha Tim Vakoc Thomas Anthony Welch
Cemeteries	Calvary Cemetery Resurrection Cemetery
Other	The Catholic Spirit Ninth National Eucharistic Congress
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