Background
Gleeson, Francis Doyle was born on January 17, 1895 in Carrollton, Missouri, United States. Son of Charles and Mary Alice (Doyle) Gleeson.
Gleeson, Francis Doyle was born on January 17, 1895 in Carrollton, Missouri, United States. Son of Charles and Mary Alice (Doyle) Gleeson.
He received his early education at the parochial school of Saint Joseph"s Church, and attended Marquette Catholic High School before studying at Gonzaga University in Spokane.
He was the first Bishop of Fairbanks from 1962 to 1968, previously serving as Vicar Apostolic of Alaska (1948-1962). Gleeson was ordained to the priesthood in Oña on July 29, 1926. Returning to Washington, he served as rector of Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma.
On January 8, 1948 Pope Pius XII named him Titular Bishop of Cotenna and Vicar Apostolic of Alaska.
He was consecrated a bishop on April 8, 1948 by Archbishop Edward Daniel Howard of Portland. The co-consecrators were Bishops Charles Daniel White of Spokane and Martin Michael Johnson of Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.
The Diocese of Juneau was established on June 23, 1951 and the area served by Bishop Gleeson was reduced to the northern part of Alaska. On August 8, 1962 Pope Blessed John XXIII named Bishop Gleeson as the first bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks.
From 1962-1965 he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council.
Pope Paul VI accepted his resignation as Bishop of Fairbanks on November 15, 1968 and named him Titual Bishop of Cuicul.