William Lawrence Adrian

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

William L. Adrian
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; William L. Adrian
Bishop of Nashville
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Nashville
In office	February 2, 1936 – September 4, 1969
Predecessor	Alphonse John Smith
Successor	Joseph Aloysius Durick
Orders
Ordination	April 15, 1911; by Pietro Respighi
Consecration	April 16, 1936; by Amleto Giovanni Cicognani
Personal details
Born	April 16, 1883; Sigourney, Iowa, U.S.
Died	February 13, 1972 (aged 88); Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Education	St. Ambrose University; Pontifical North American College

William Lawrence Adrian (April 16, 1883 – February 13, 1972) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Nashville in Tennessee from 1936 to 1969.

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

William Adrian was born in Sigourney, Iowa, to Nicholas and Mary (Paulus) Adrian. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa in 1906. He then studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome

Adrian was ordained to the priesthood in Rome by Cardinal Pietro Respighi for the Diocese of Davenport on April 15, 1911.^[1] Following his return to the United States, he served as a professor at St. Ambrose College for twenty-four years and as its vice president from 1932 to 1935; Adrian also coached American football and baseball, and taught Latin and manual training. He became pastor of St. Bridget's Parish in Victor, Iowa in 1935.

Bishop of Nashville[edit]

On February 2, 1936, Adrian was appointed the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Nashville by Pope Pius XII. He learned of his appointment by a letter from the Holy See: "among [his] letters...With trembling fingers [he] opened it and read...and was so overwhelmed with wonder that [he] could read no farther."^[2] Adrian received his episcopal consecration on April 16, 1936, from Archbishop Amelto Cicognani at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport, Iowa. Bishops Henry Rohlman and Moses E. Kiley served as co-consecrators.^[1]

Adrian, who became known as a "man who gets things done," oversaw the creation of several parishes, acquisition of a new episcopal residence in East Nashville, Tennessee, remodeling of the Cathedral, and establishment of a diocesan newspaper and the National Council of Catholic Women. In 1954, Adrian ordered the racial desegregation of all parochial schools in Nashville and Davidson County, far ahead of public school desegregation.^[3] He attended the Second Vatican Council in Rome from 1962 to 1965.

On September 4, 1969, Pope Paul VI accepted Adrian's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Nashville and named him titular bishop of Elo. Adrian resigned that post on January 13, 1971.

William Adrian died in Nashville on February 13, 1972, at age 88.

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b "Bishop William Lawrence Adrian". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
^ TIME Magazine. More Bishops May 4, 1936.
^ "Most Rev. William Adrian, Ex‐Bishop of Tennessee". The New York Times. 15 February 1972.

External links[edit]

William Adrian at DioceseofNashville.com
William Lawrence Adrian at Findagrave.com

Episcopal succession[edit]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Alphonse John Smith	Bishop of Nashville 1936–1969	Succeeded by Joseph Aloysius Durick

[:0-1] "Bishop William Lawrence Adrian". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

[2] TIME Magazine. More Bishops May 4, 1936.

[3] "Most Rev. William Adrian, Ex‐Bishop of Tennessee". The New York Times. 15 February 1972.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville
Ordinaries	Bishops Richard Pius Miles James Whelan Patrick Feehan Joseph Rademacher Thomas Sebastian Byrne Alphonse John Smith William Lawrence Adrian Joseph Aloysius Durick James Daniel Niedergeses Edward Urban Kmiec David Raymond Choby J. Mark Spalding
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of the Incarnation,Nashville Parishes St. Michael's Catholic Church, Cedar Hill (Mission)
Education	College Aquinas College, Nashville High schools Father Ryan High School, Nashville Pope John Paul II High School, Hendersonville St. Cecilia Academy, Nashville
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
Bishops	Ordinaries John McMullen Henry Cosgrove James J. Davis Henry P. Rohlman Ralph L. Hayes Gerald F. O’Keefe William E. Franklin Martin J. Amos Thomas R. Zinkula Auxiliary Edward Howard
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Parishes Church of St. John the Baptist, Burlington St. Paul's Church, Burlington St. Anthony’s Church, Davenport Holy Family Parish, Fort Madison St. Patrick's Church, Georgetown St. Mary’s Church, Iowa City St. Patrick's Church, Iowa City Church of All Saints, Keokuk St. Mary's Church, Nichols St. Mary of the Visitation Church, Ottumwa St. Mary's Church, Riverside Former parishes St. Joseph's Church, Bauer Saints Peter and Paul Church, Clear Creek St. Boniface Church, Clinton St. Irenaeus Church, Clinton St. Joseph's Church, Davenport St. Mary’s Church, Davenport St. Joseph's Church, Fort Madison St. Michael's Church, Holbrook Saints Peter and Paul Church, Solon
Education	Higher education St. Ambrose University High schools Assumption High School, Davenport Holy Trinity Catholic Schools (HS), Fort Madison Notre Dame High School, Burlington Prince of Peace Preparatory, Clinton Regina High School, Iowa City Former Aquinas Schools, Fort Madison Cardinal Stritch High School, Keokuk Immaculate Conception Academy, Davenport Marquette Catholic Schools (HS), West Point Marycrest College St. Mary’s Academy
Priests	William Lawrence Adrian John George Alleman Ambrose Burke Edward Catich William J. Collins Martin Cone Maurice John Dingman John Flannagan Robert Dwayne Gruss William Hannon Ulrich Hauber Cletus Madsen Carl Meinberg Sebastian Menke Marvin Mottet J. A. M. Pelamourgues Aloysius Schulte William Shannahan Lawrence Donald Soens
Miscellany	Ambrose Hall Henry Kahl House Antoine LeClaire House F.H. Miller House Regina Coeli Monastery Mount Calvary Cemetery, Davenport St. Joseph Hospital, Ottumwa Old St. Mary's Rectory, Iowa City St. Thomas More Parish Center Pacem in Terris Award Selma Schricker House
Catholicism portal