Background
Paul Tanner was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Frank J. and Laura Margaret (née McGowan) Tanner.
Paul Tanner was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Frank J. and Laura Margaret (née McGowan) Tanner.
He and his family later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he attended Marquette University.
He began his studies for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri, and continued at Saint Francis Seminary in Milwaukee. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 30, 1931. He earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America in 1933.
Returning to Milwaukee, Tanner served as a chaplain and professor of religion at Saint Mary"s Provincial Motherhouse and as a curate at Immaculate Conception Church.
From 1936 to 1941, he was the Archbishop"s secretary for Catholic Action and Catechetics. He then joined the National Catholic Welfare Conference, where he served as assistant director (1941-1942) and director (1942-1945) of the Youth Department.
He was assistant general secretary of the NCWC from 1945 to 1958, and was raised to the rank of Papal Chamberlain in 1948 and a Domestic Prelate in 1954. From 1958 to 1968, Tanner served as general secretary of the NCWC. In this position, he executed and coordinated the policies set by the body of the nation"s Catholic bishops.
On October 18, 1965, Tanner was appointed titular Bishop of Lamasba by Pope Paul VI. He was consecrated on the following December 21 by Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, with Archbishops William Edward Cousins and Patrick O"Boyle serving as co-consecrators.
He was the first priest to become a bishop while holding the office of general secretary. On February 15, 1968, Paul VI named Tanner as the seventh Bishop of Saint Augustine. Tanner later died at All Saints Nursing Home in Jacksonville, aged 89.
He is buried at Saint Mary Parish Cemetery in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.