John Joseph Krol

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Personal

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Vocation

American Ecclesiastic, a Roman Catholic Cardinal who was a leading conservative who spoke out for nuclear disarmament and helped revamp the Vatican finances. On February 20, 1937, Krol was ordained a priest by Bishop Joseph Schrembs at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. On July 11, 1953, Krol was appointed auxiliary bishop of Cleveland and titular bishop of Cardi by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 2 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani. Following the death of Cardinal John Francis O'Hara, Krol was appointed the sixth Archbishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Pope John XXIII on February 11, 1961. His installation took place at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul on March 22 of that year. He was the first Polish American to become an archbishop, and at age 50, was the youngest Catholic archbishop in the country at the time. He was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria della Mercede e Sant'Adriano a Villa Albani by Paul VI on June 26, 1967, during the same consistory that elevated Archbishop Karol Wojtyła of Kraków, Poland. Both were cardinal electors in the conclaves of August and October 1978. Wojtyła became Pope John Paul II in the latter conclave, and Krol served as one of his closest advisors. Krol was hospitalized in 1987 for treatment of diverticulosis.[13] Due to his ill health, he resigned as Archbishop of Philadelphia on February 11, 1988, exactly 27 years after he was appointed to the post. He was succeeded by Anthony Bevilacqua. Krol died of complications from diabetes and a heart condition, 3/01/1996, 1:10 AM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.