25 Facts About James McGuigan

James Charles McGuigan was a Canadian prelate of the Catholic Church.

James McGuigan was the longest-serving Archbishop of Toronto, serving for almost 37 years from 1934 to 1971.

James McGuigan became the first English-speaking cardinal from Canada in 1946.

James Charles McGuigan was born on November 26,1894, in Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, the third of eight children of George Hugh McGuigan and Annie Monaghan.

James McGuigan attended Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown from 1908 to 1911, winning the Governor General's Academic Medal in his final year.

James McGuigan studied at Saint Dunstan's University for two years and received a bachelor's degree in 1914.

James McGuigan prepared for the priesthood at the Grand Seminary of Quebec, earning a doctorate in theology in 1918.

James McGuigan was ordained a priest on May 26,1918, by Bishop Henry Joseph O'Leary, at his childhood parish of St Augustine's Church in South Rustico.

James McGuigan was then appointed to the faculty of Saint Dunstan's University, serving as a professor of mathematics, chemistry and physics.

However, the 1918 influenza pandemic forced the school to temporarily close in October 1918 and James McGuigan himself fell ill, eventually recovering but losing much of his hearing.

In 1919, James McGuigan became secretary to Bishop O'Leary, who had ordained him.

James McGuigan retained this position when O'Leary was promoted to Archbishop of Edmonton the following year.

James McGuigan was later named chancellor and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Edmonton.

When St Joseph's Cathedral was opened in 1925, James McGuigan was appointed rector in additions to his duties as vicar general.

On January 30,1930, James McGuigan was appointed the second Archbishop of Regina by Pope Pius XI.

At Regina, McGuigan was confronted with a bleak situation: James Anderson had been elected Premier of Saskatchewan the previous year with the support of the anti-Catholic Ku Klux Klan; the Great Depression had left two-thirds of the Saskatchewan population on welfare; and McGuigan's predecessor as Archbishop, the late Olivier Elzear Mathieu, had left the Archdiocese with $1.2 million in debt.

James McGuigan took formal charge of the Archdiocese on March 20,1935, when he was installed at St Michael's Cathedral.

James McGuigan faced a similar, if not worse, situation in Toronto as he did in Regina: the Archdiocese was $4 million in debt.

James McGuigan supported foreign aid to Europe in order to stop the spread of communism, and he condemned the arrest and trial of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty in Hungary.

James McGuigan was given the honorary title of assistant to the papal throne by Pope Pius XII on August 20,1943.

James McGuigan was created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria del Popolo by Pius XII in the consistory of February 18,1946.

James McGuigan participated in the 1958 papal conclave that elected Pope John XXIII.

James McGuigan disagreed with the more liberal views of Pocock and his advisor Gregory Baum, especially on the issue of birth control.

James McGuigan officially retired as Archbishop of Toronto on March 30,1971, after almost 37 years in office.

James McGuigan died from a heart attack on April 8,1974, at age 79.