Norman Francis McFarland

Norman Francis McFarland (February 21, 1922 – April 16, 2010) was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Orange in Orange County, California. He had previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Reno, and bishop of the renamed Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas.

Styles of
Norman McFarland
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleMonsignor

Early life and pastoral appointments

Norman McFarland was born in Martinez, California, as the third oldest son of Francis and Agnes (Kotchevar) McFarland. He went to public schools and eventually attended Saint Joseph Seminary in Mountain View, California. McFarland earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1943 at Saint Patrick Major Seminary.[1] He was ordained to the priesthood on June 15, 1946, by Archbishop John J. Mitty for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.[2]

In 1946, McFarland was an associate pastor at St. Andrew's in Oakland, California, when he was selected by Archbishop Mitty to attend the Catholic University of America.[2] He earned a Doctor of Canon Law degree and returned to the archdiocese.[3] McFarland served in a number of archdiocesan positions, including as a marriage tribunal official and a professor at Lone Mountain College and San Francisco College for Women.[3]

Episcopal appointments

Archdiocese of San Francisco

McFarland was appointed as the archdiocese's Auxiliary Bishop on June 5, 1970.[3] He was consecrated on September 5 as the Titular Bishop of Bida by Archbishop Joseph McGucken. His principal co-consecrators were Bishops Hugh Donohoe and Merlin Guilfoyle. McFarland was appointed as the Vicar for Finance, Vicar for Seminarians, and Pastor in residence at Old Mission Dolores.[2]

Diocese of Reno

On December 6, 1974, McFarland was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Reno Diocese[3] by Pope Paul VI upon the resignation of Bishop Michael Joseph Green. As the administrator, he was in charge of finances for all of Nevada and is credited with covering "its debt by spending eight days on the phone asking bishops around the country for grants and low-interest loans."[1] McFarland became Reno's ordinary on February 10, 1976. As its diocesan bishop the name of the diocese was changed to Reno-Las Vegas. McFarland also expanded the funding for Catholic Charities.[1]

Diocese of Orange

McFarland was appointed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Orange by Pope John Paul II on December 29, 1986, upon the death of Bishop William Johnson.[4] Johnson was the first Bishop of Orange which is the second-largest diocese in California.[4] McFarland was consecrated as its bishop on February 24, 1987.

In 1995, after hearing McFarland's homily at the Red Mass for Orange County, several Orange County Bar Association member lawyers formed the St. Thomas More Society of Orange County.[5]

Prior to his 76th birthday in 1998, McFarland submitted his resignation which was accepted by Pope John Paul II.

Final years

In 2003, McFarland was inducted to the Mater Dei High School Ring of Honor.[6] McFarland was recognized during the annual spring Ring of Honor and Founders Circle Dinner for his contributions towards their community.[6]

McFarland suffered a heart attack and died on April 16, 2010.[7][8] His Mass of the Resurrection was held at the Holy Family Cathedral in Orange, California, on April 23, 2010.[9]

Episcopal succession
Ordination history of
Norman Francis McFarland
History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byJoseph McGucken
DateSeptember 8, 1970
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Norman Francis McFarland as principal consecrator
Michael Patrick DriscollMarch 6, 1990

McFarland's direct Apostolic succession is delineated from Cardinal Scipione Rebiba. 91% of the world's more than 4,000 Catholic bishops alive today trace their episcopal lineage back to Rebiba.

Sources

References
  1. "OC bishop McFarland dead at 88". Press-Telegram. April 16, 2010. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  2. "The Most Reverend Norman Francis McFarland, D.D., J.C.D." (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. June 29, 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 30, 2016. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
  3. "Pope Accepts Bishop Mcfarland's Resignation, Names Bishop Tod Brown to Orange; Bishop Mcgrath Appointed Coadjutor of San Jose; Msgr. Wester Is Named Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco". USCCB. April 16, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
  4. "POPE NAMES CALIFORNIA BISHOP". NY Times. January 1, 1987.
  5. "St. Thomas More Society of Orange County, CA". www.catholicbusinessjournal.biz. 1995. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  6. "Ring of Honor Advancement". Mater Dei High School. 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
  7. "Former Orange County Bishop Dies At 88". CBS2. April 16, 2010. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
  8. "PASSING OF THE MOST REVEREND NORMAN MCFARLAND, RETIRED BISHOP OF ORANGE". Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. April 16, 2010. Archived from the original on May 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
  9. Mark Eades (April 24, 2010). "The funeral mass of Bishop McFarland". OCRegister.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Michael Joseph Green		 Bishop of Reno-Las Vegas
1976–1986		 Succeeded by
Daniel F. Walsh
Preceded by
William Robert Johnson		 Bishop of Orange
1986–1998		 Succeeded by
Tod David Brown
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