Thomas Lawrence Noa (December 18, 1892 – March 13, 1977) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in Michigan from 1947 to 1968. He previously served as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls in Iowa from 1946 to 1947.


Thomas Lawrence Noa
Bishop of Marquette
titular bishop of Talaptula
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
SeeDiocese of Marquette
PredecessorFrancis Joseph Magner
SuccessorCharles Salatka
Other post(s)Coadjutor Bishop of Sioux City
March 19, 1946 to
August 25, 1947
Orders
OrdinationDecember 23, 1916
by Basilio Pompili
ConsecrationMarch 19, 1946
by Edward Mooney
Personal details
Born(1892-12-18)December 18, 1892
DiedMarch 13, 1977(1977-03-13) (aged 84)
Marquette, Michigan, US

Biography

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Early life

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One of nine children, Thomas Noa was born on December 18, 1892, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, to John and Magdalene (née Walczak) Noa.[1][2] He attended St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1907 to 1911. Noa then entered the College of the Propaganda in Rome, where he earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree in 1917.[1][3]

Priesthood

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Noa was ordained to the priesthood in Rome by Cardinal Basilio Pompili on December 23, 1916.[2] Following his return to Michigan in 1917, he was appointed to the faculty of St. Joseph Seminary in Grand Rapids as a professor. Noa was named rector of St. Joseph in 1927.[1] He was named a domestic prelate by Pope Pius XI in 1935.[1][3]

Coadjutor Bishop of Sioux City

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On February 22, 1946, Noa was appointed as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City in Iowa and titular bishop of Salona by Pope Pius XII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on March 19, 1946, from Cardinal Edward Mooney, with Bishops Charles Daniel White and Joseph H. Albers serving as co-consecrators.[2][3]

Bishop of Marquette

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Before Noa could succeed as bishop of Sioux City, Pius XII appointed him as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Marquette on August 25, 1947.[2] He was installed on September 24, 1947.[4] Noa in 1952 opened the cause, or initiative, for the canonization of the former bishop of Marquette, Frederic Baraga.[5] In 1958, Noa issued a directive that Catholics in his diocese should not attend meetings of Moral Re-armament, an international spiritual association, citing its dangers to Catholic faith.[6][3] Noa attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965.

Retirement and legacy

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On January 5, 1968, Pope Paul VI accepted Noa's resignation as bishop of Marquette and appointed him as titular bishop of Talaptula.[2] Noa resigned his titular see on December 31, 1970.[2][3] Thomas Noa died on March 13, 1977, age 84.[2] The Bishop Noa Home, a residence for seniors in Escanaba, Michigan, is named after him.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Bishop Thomas Lawrence Noa". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
  3. ^ a b c d e Daffern, Dr Thomas Clough (10 March 2018). THE BOOK OF THOMASES. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-244-67376-5.
  4. ^ "The St. Louis Register 3 October 1947 — Catholic Research Resources Alliance". thecatholicnewsarchive.org. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  5. ^ Seelye, James E. (2017-11-01). Slovenes in Michigan. MSU Press. ISBN 978-1-62895-305-3.
  6. ^ Heuser, Herman Joseph (1962). The American Ecclesiastical Review;: A Monthly Publication for the Clergy. Catholic University of America Press.
  7. ^ "index". www.bishopnoahome.com. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Marquette
1947–1968
Succeeded by