Background
Mcfarland, Francis Patrick was born on April 16, 1819 in Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States.
Mcfarland, Francis Patrick was born on April 16, 1819 in Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States.
He was employed as teacher in the village school, but soon entered Mount Saint Mary"s College, Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he graduated with high honours and was retained as teacher.
The following year, 1845, he was ordained, 18 May, at New York by Archbishop Hughes, who immediately detailed the young priest to a professor"s chair at Saint John"s College, Fordham. Father McFarland from his college made frequent missionary journeys among scattered Catholics. After a year at Fordham he was appointed pastor of Watertown, New New York
In March 1851, he was transferred by his new ordinary, Bishop John McCloskey of Albany, to Saint John"s Church, Utica.
He was appointed Vicar-Apostolic of Florida, 9 March 1857. He declined this, only to be elected Bishop of Hartford.
He was consecrated at Providence, Rhode Island 14 March 1858, and resided in that city until the division of his diocese in 1872 which created a separate Diocese of Providence. Failing health prompted him, while attending the First Vatican Council, to resign his see.
His colleagues of the American episcopate would not hear of such a step.
By dividing the diocese it was hoped that his burden would be sufficiently lightened. He left Providence for Hartford 28 February 1872. After reorganizing his diocese he immediately set about the erection of a cathedral.
He died aged 55.