This is week 44 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.
Rev. Carroll Thomas Dozier was born August 18, 1911 at Richmond Virginia to Curtis Merry Dozier and his wife Rosa Ann (nee) Conaty Dozier. Carroll can be found on the 1920 and 1930 census enumeration reports living with his parents in Richmond. However by 1940, Carrol T Dozier is found living in Ward 1, Newport News, Newport News City, Newport News City, Virginia, United States, he is 28 years of age, single, listed as a "Partner" in the household. The 1940 census has a column in which the place of residence in 1935 is shown, Carroll was living in Rome, Italy.
He is mentioned in the obituary of his aunt, Mary Ellen Keeter, as Monsignor Carrol T. Dozier of Christ the King Catholic Church.
As listed in "Who Was Who in America with World Notables, Volume IX, 1985-1989", Marquis Who's Who:
Carroll Thomas Dozier, bishop; b. Richmond, Va., Aug. 18, 1911; s. Curtis M. and Rose A. (Conaty) D. AB, Holy Cross Coll., 1932, LLD (hon.), 1973; postgrad., N. Am. Coll., Gregorian U., Rome. Ordained priest Roman Cath. Ch., 1937. Curate St. Vincent's Ch., Newport News, Va., 1937, St. Joseph's Ch., Peterburg, Va., 1941-45; dir. Soc. Propagandization of the Faith, 1945-54; pastor Christ the King Ch., Norfolk, Va., 1954-71; first bishop of Memphis from 1970, mem. lay apostolate com., from 1972. Author pastoral letters. Named paped chamberlain, 1954, domestic prelate, 1962, proto apostolate, 1967, recipient Bill of Rights award ACLU, 1972, Cath. Human Relations award, Memphis, 1973. Home: Memphis Tenn. Died Dec. 7, 1985; buried Calvary Cemetery, Memphis.
From The Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Orange County, Florida, published in the 3 Star Edition, on December 8, 1985:
"Retired Bishop Carroll T. Dozier, 74, an outspoken champion of racial reconciliation during his 12 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church's Memphis Diocese, died early Saturday. As leader of the diocese's 64,000 Catholics, he stirred frequent controversy because of his opposition to the Vietnam War and support for racial busing and women's rights."
From The New York Times, New York, New York, published in the Late City Final Edition on December 8, 1985
"BISHOP CARROLL T. DOZIER, 74
EX-HEAD OF MEMPHIS DIOCESE
Bishop Carroll T. Dozier, retired head of the Roman Catholic Church's Memphis Diocese, died today after suffering a stroke Thursday. He was 74 years old.
His 12 years as spiritual leader of the Memphis diocese's 64,000 Catholics were marked by frequent controversy.
In 1976, Bishop Dozier conducted masses to bring back to the church Catholics who had left the faith because of divorce or other disagreements with church rules. The masses drew capacity crowds to municipal auditoriums here and in Jackson, Tenn. Estranged Catholics were offered counseling and urged to look for ways to return to the church.
The Bishop also offered general absolution to those in attendance, rather than requiring the normal sacrament of confession. Under church law, such an action is considered appropriate only under unusual conditions, such as the absence of enough priests to hear confessions in time of war.
Pope Expressed Displeasure
Pope Paul VI and the head of the church's liturgical affairs, James Cardinal Knox, personally expressed their displeasure to Bishop Dozier, but he refused to back down.
Bishop Dozier's death was announced by the Bishop J. Francis Stafford, who succeeded Bishop Dozier upon his retirement in 1983.
Gary Honnert, a spokesman for the diocese, said that Bishop Stafford, as well as a few priests and close friends were with members of Bishop Dozier's family at the bedside when the bishop died.
"Bishop Dozier was a prophet of the peace of Jesus Christ for his diocese, his nation and the world as a man of the gospel," Bishop Stafford said.
"His powerful voice of conscience and reason will be sorely missed. His contributions to the causes of justice, peace and particularly racial harmony are immeasurable," he said.
Bishop Dozier was the first bishop of the Memphis diocese when it was created out of the 21 counties in west Tennessee in 1971.
An early opponent of the Vietnam War, Bishop Dozier offered support and guidance to draft resisters. He also called for the busing of students to achieve racial balance in public schools, and he was an early supporter of women's rights.
"It is not sufficient to say, 'I love God,' " he once said. "There must be total love of your neighbor."
A native of Norfolk, Va., Bishop Dozier was ordained in Rome in 1937 and served parishes in Virginia before coming to Memphis."
From The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, published in the Final Edition, on December 8, 1985:
"BISHOP CARROLL DOZIER
Retired Bishop Carroll T. Dozier, 74, an outspoken champion of racial reconciliation during his 12 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church's Memphis Diocese, died early yesterday.
He died of respiratory arrest at St. Francis Hospital, where he had been admitted after suffering a stroke Thursday night. His death was announced by Bishop J. Francis Stafford, who succeeded Bishop Dozier when he retired in 1983.
Gary Honnert, a spokesman for the diocese, said Bishop Stafford, a few priests and close friends were with family members praying at Bishop Dozier's bedside when he died at 3:15 a.m.
"Bishop Dozier was a prophet of the peace of Jesus Christ for his diocese, his nation and the world as a man of the Gospel," Bishop Stafford said.
"His powerful voice of conscience and reason will be sorely missed. His contributions to the causes of justice, peace and, particularly, racial harmony are immeasurable."
He was appointed the first bishop of the Memphis Diocese, which covers the 21 counties in west Tennessee, when it was created in 1971.
His years as spiritual leader of the diocese's 64,000 Catholics were marked by frequent controversy.
An early opponent of the Vietnam War, Bishop Dozier offered support and guidance to draft resisters.
He also called for busing in public schools to achieve racial balance, and he was an early supporter of women's rights.
In 1976, Bishop Dozier conducted Masses of Reconciliation that drew capacity crowds to municipal auditoriums in Jackson and Memphis.
He said he wanted to bring back to the church Catholics who had left the faith because of divorce or other disagreements with church rules. Estranged Catholics were offered counseling and urged to look for ways to return to the church.
Bishop Dozier's actions drew questions from the church hierarchy, but he refused to back down.
"It is not sufficient to say, 'I love God,' " he once said. "There must be total love of your neighbor."
A native of Norfolk, Va., Bishop Dozier was ordained in Rome in 1937 and served parishes in Virginia before coming to Memphis.
Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
From The Washington Post, Washington, DC, published in the Final Edition on December 16, 1985:
"Carroll T. Dozier, 74, a retired bishop who was an outspoken champion of racial reconciliation during his 12 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church's Memphis Diocese, died Dec. 7 at a hospital in Memphis after a stroke.
He was the first bishop of the Memphis diocese when it was created in 1971 out of the 21 counties in western Tennessee. His years as spiritual leader of the diocese's 64,000 Catholics were marked by frequent controversy. He was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and supporter of women's rights. He also called for busing in public schools.
He was a native of Norfolk and served parishes in Virginia before transferring to Memphis."
Wish list for Rev. Dozier: Time to transcribe the many news articles I have found that mention Rev. Dozier, including several marriages he performed for family members. The tree continues to grow.
* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.
** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.
*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site. Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc. Fold3, is another site I subscribe to and pay for. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them. See my Disclaimers page for further details.
**** And, now, the confession (somehow fitting when published on the bio of a Catholic Priest). This is the second version of Week # 44 I published. I discovered mid week, that I had double posted one ancestor. So, I dismantled the post from Sunday the 2nd of November 2014 and revised with this one. I back dated it to the 2nd of November. Oh, well, stuff happens.
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