John Selby Spence (bishop)

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

John Selby Spence

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington
Titular Bishop of Aggersel
Church| Roman Catholic Church
See| Archdiocese of Washington
Other post(s)| Titular Bishop of Aggersel
Orders
Ordination| December 5, 1933
by Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani
Consecration| May 19, 1964
by Egidio Vagnozzi
Personal details
Born| (1909-05-19)May 19, 1909

Baltimore, Maryland, US

Died| March 7, 1973(1973-03-07) (aged 63)
Washington, D.C., US
Education| Pontifical North American College

John Selby Spence (May 19, 1909 - March 7, 1973) was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as titular bishop of Aggersel and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. from 1964 until his death in 1973.

## Contents

* 1 Biography
* 1.1 Early life
* 1.2 Priesthood
* 1.3 Auxiliary Bishop of Washington
* 2 References

## Biography[edit]

### Early life[edit]

John Spence was born in Baltimore, Maryland on May 19, 1909. He attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, then went to the Pontifical North American College in Rome.[1]

### Priesthood[edit]

Spence was ordained in Rome by Cardinal Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani to the priesthood on December 5, 1933, for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Spence was incardinated, or transferred, to the new Archdiocese of Washington when it split from Baltimore. Spence also served as the archdiocesan director of education in 1948. As such, he was tasked by the archbishop with ending racial segregation at all of the archdiocesan schools.[1] Spence was also the founding pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Chillum, Maryland, in 1951 and pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Parish in Washington in 1958.[1]

Spence served as coordinator for the archdiocese for its participation in the 1963 March on Washington, in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I have a dream" speech.[1]

### Auxiliary Bishop of Washington[edit]

On March 17, 1964, Pope Paul VI appointed Spence as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington and as titular bishop of Aggersel; he was consecrated by Cardinal Egidio Vagnozzi on May 19, 1964.[2] He remained pastor at Sacred Heart Parish.

John Spence died in Washington on March 7, 1973, at age 63.[2]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Remembering Auxiliary Bishop John Selby Spence". Catholic Standard. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
2. ^ a b John Selby Spence

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