James Myles O'Gorman

Born in the village of Cranna in County Tipperary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, O'Gorman professed solemn vows as a Trappist at Mount Melleray Abbey on March 25, 1841, and was ordained a priest on December 23, 1843. He emigrated to the United States and became a monk at New Melleray Monastery near Dubuque, Iowa where he became its second Prior.[1] On January 28, 1859 Pope Pius IX appointed him as the Titular Bishop of Raphanea and Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska.[2] He was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick of St. Louis on May 8, 1859. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops John Baptiste Miège, S.J., the Vicar Apostolic of Kansas, and Henry Juncker of Alton.[3] When the Vicariate was established in 1859 it covered 357,000 square miles (920,000 km²) and emcopassed what are now the states of Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, as well as northeastern Colorado, and parts of Utah.[4] When O'Gorman arrived he had three priests to assist him and ordained another priest that year. By the time he died there were 19 priests that served 12,000 Catholics in 20 parishes and 56 missions.[4] O'Gorman participated in the First Vatican Council (1869-1870) as one of the council fathers. He died on July 4, 1874 at the age of 69.