Background
Lawler was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and attended Saint Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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John Lawler
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He served as Bishop of Rapid City from 1916 until his death in 1948. He continued his studies in Belgium, studying philosophy at the College of Saint Nicholas in Flanders and theology at the University of Louvain. He was ordained to the priesthood at Louvain on December 19, 1885.
Following his return to Minnesota, Lawler served as professor of Scripture at the College of Saint Thomas and later pastor of Saint Luke"s Church in Saint Paul.
He also served as rector of the Cathedral of Saint Paul. As rector, he was instrumental in the erection of the cathedral at a cost of $5 million.
On February 8, 1910, Lawler was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and titular bishop of Hermopolis Maior by Pope Pius X. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 19 from Archbishop John Ireland, with Bishops James McGolrick and James Trobec serving as co-consecrators. As an auxiliary bishop, he assisted Archbishop Ireland for six years.
Lawler was appointed the third Bishop of Lead, South Dakota, by Pope Benedict XV on January 29, 1916.
On August 1, 1930, the episcopal see of the diocese was changed from Lead to Rapid City, and the name of the diocese was changed accordingly. In 1947, Lawler, who had been in failing health, received Bishop William Tibertus McCarty as his coadjutor bishop. Lawler died following a stroke at age 85.
At the time of his death, he was the oldest Catholic bishop in the United States and, after Bishop Alexander Joseph McGavick, was the second most senior in years of service.
