John L. May

John Lawrence May ( born March 31, 1922 in Evanston, Illinois, † 24 March 1994 in St. Louis, Missouri) was from 1980 to 1992 Archbishop of St. Louis.

Life

After the visit of the Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the S. Mary of the Lake seminary John Lawrence May was ordained by Samuel Cardinal Stritch for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 3, 1947 priests.

On June 16, 1967 May was by Pope Paul VI. appointed auxiliary bishop of Chicago and titular bishop of Tagarbala. The episcopal ordination took place on 24 August by John Cardinal Cody. Co-consecrators were Bishop John Aloysius Wycislo from Chicago and Bishop Cletus Francis O'Donnell of Madison.

Pope Paul VI. appointed him on 29 September 1969 Bishop of Mobile, Alabama. On January 24, 1980 May was appointed in succession by John Cardinal Carberry as Archbishop of St. Louis.

During his tenure he supported the revival of a very intense diocesan synod and the foundations of the deanery and parish councils. He also campaigned for ecumenical dialogue and the fight against racism. In his archdiocese, he led a strict financial course that led to the financial consolidation of the Archdiocese. In the 1980s, May called for more help for the poor. He built himself from the Church's social institutions and improved assistance for pregnant women in difficult situations.

As president of the U.S. Bishops' Conference (1986-1989), he sought to strengthen the link between the Vatican and the U.S. church.

In 1992, Archbishop May back for reasons of age of his office, but remained until 1994 Administrator of the Archdiocese. Shortly before his resignation, a brain tumor was diagnosed in May. He died on 24 March 1994 and was buried in the Cathedral of St. Louis.