John Cody - Priesthood

Priesthood

Cody was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani on December 8, 1931. He remained in Rome for the next six years as a staff member of the North American College and an official of the Vatican Secretariat of State. In 1938, he earned a Doctor of Canon Law from the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare, and was awarded the Benemerenti medal for his services to the Secretariat of State. Upon his return to the United States, Cody served as private secretary to Archbishop John J. Glennon until 1940, when he became chancellor of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He was named a Privy Chamberlain in 1939 and a Domestic Prelate in 1946. He accompanied Archbishop Glennon to Rome when the latter was named a cardinal, and was on hand when Glennon died on the return trip.

On May 10, 1947, Cody was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis and Titular Bishop of Apollonia by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 2 from Archbishop Joseph Ritter, with Bishops George Joseph Donnelly and Vincent Stanislaus Waters serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. Louis. He was appointed Coadjutor to the Bishop of Saint Joseph, Missouri on January 27, 1954. He was appointed Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, Missouri on August 29, 1956 and installed October 11, 1956. In 1961, he was transferred to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was appointed Coadjutor to the Archbishop on August 14, 1961, appointed Apostolic Administrator on June 1, 1962 and acceded to the See of New Orleans on November 8, 1964. He became an object of national attention as archbishop, due to his predecessor Joseph Rummel's efforts to desegregate the Catholic schools in his jurisdiction. Cody was opposed but he did not cease.