John Francis Dearden

John Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907 – August 1, 1988) was an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1958 to 1980, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1969.

Early life and ordination
John Francis Dearden was born in Valley Falls, Rhode Island to John Sidney Dearden and his wife Agnes Gregory. He attended elementary school at Holy Trinity School and later at St. Philomena School in Cleveland, Ohio, where his family moved in 1918.

Dearden also studied at Cathedral Latin School and the archdiocesan St. Mary's Seminary. Dearden did graduate work in Rome at the North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University. On December 8, 1932, he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti-Selvaggiani, and then finished his studies in 1934.

Priest and bishop
Dearden served in parish assignments in Ohio until 1937, when he was named a professor of philosophy at St. Mary Seminary, of which he was rector from 1944 to 1948. He was raised to the rank of Monsignor on July 19, 1945.

On March 13, 1948, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop of Sarepta. Dearden received his episcopal consecration on the following May 18 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops Edward Hoban and Floyd Begin serving as co-consecrators.

Dearden's stern manner of administration during this time even earned him the nickname of "Iron John". He succeeded the late Hugh Charles Boyle as Bishop of Pittsburgh on December 22, 1950, and was later named Archbishop of Detroit on December 18, 1958.

Second Vatican Council
He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. At the Council, Dearden became exceedingly more liberal in his views, and soon became a leading progressive voice in the Church. He was dedicated to implementing the Council's reforms; particularly, he gave priests and the laity a greater participation in dealing with such matters as liturgy, education, and finances. .

From 1966 to 1971, Dearden served as the first President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was also seen as one of the likely candidates to succeed Francis Spellman as Archbishop of New York.

Cardinal
Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of S. Pio X alla Balduina in the consistory of April 28, 1969. During the 1971 Synod of Bishops in Vatican City, Dearden suggested that the sociological and psychological aspects of the priesthood be investigated.

He was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II respectively. On July 15, 1980, he resigned as Detroit's archbishop, after twenty-one years of service.

Later life and death
Following the Watergate scandal, the Cardinal asked Catholics to observe the first three Fridays of November 1973 with prayer, penance, and fasting.

Dearden died from pancreatic cancer in Southfield, Michigan, at age 80. He is buried in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery in the same city. Dearden once survived a heart attack.