Edward Mooney was installed as Detroit’s first archbishop on Aug. 3, 1937.
The 55-year-old Maryland native was named by Pope Pius XI; the installation took place at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Mooney, who held doctorates in philosophy and divinity from the North American College in Rome, was ordained in April 1909. Among the jobs he held were professor of dogmatic theology at St. Mary Seminary, headmaster of Cathedral Latin School in Cleveland, spiritual director of the North American College, apostolic delegate to India for the Holy See, apostolic delegate to Japan, and bishop of the diocese of Rochester, N.Y.
He became a cardinal in February 1946 and died in October 1958 during the conclave that would elect Pope John XXIII.
Before 1937, Detroit was a diocese in the province of Cincinnati, but then became a province itself, including the dioceses of Michigan, according to archdiocese spokesman Joe Kohn. The archdiocese of Detroit became the metropolitan see.
At the same time, the diocese of Lansing was created, which split from the diocese of Detroit. Before Detroit was part of the province of Cincinnati, it was in the province of Kentucky and, before that, the only province in the U.S., which was Baltimore. Prior to that, Detroit was part of the only province in North America, which was Quebec.
Today, the Archdiocese of Detroit is made up of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair and Wayne counties.
For the full article, see Zlati Meyer, “This week in Michigan history: Edward Mooney named 1st Detroit archbishop”, Detroit Free Press, August 3, 2014.