Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan has appointed Monsignor Patrick J. O’Connor to the office of secretary to the archbishop of education in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Monsignor O’Connor will continue to serve as pastor of St. Thomas More parish, Decatur.

Monsignor O’Connor in the new office will represent in all matters pertaining to the direction and administration of the elementary and secondary schools of the archdiocese. It will be the top administrative post for education. Attending schools directly under guidance of the Secretary will be some nine thousand students and some two hundred and fifty teachers. The secretary will be the archbishop’s representative in educational matters with the State Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. He will direct the expansion and accreditation of the archdiocesan system.

Monsignor O’Connor was born and reared in Savannah, Georgia. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1933. He made his studies at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore. Following ordination a year was spent in the study of education at the Catholic University of America. As a lay student he attended the university where he earned his bachelor’s degree, later earning his master’s degree from St. Mary’s College. In 1934 he was assigned as assistant at St. Anthony’s parish, West End, Atlanta, then to St. Mary’s on the Hill in Augusta. In 1936, he became a regular member of the faculty of the School of Sacred Theology of The Catholic University, also a member of the Preachers Institute.

Monsignor O’Connor was connected with the university for twenty years serving as dean of the university students, director of the alumni association, procurator of the Catholic Sisters College in Washington, D.C.

In 1950, he was elevated to the rank of Domestic Prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor. This honor was accorded to him by Pope Paul XII at the request of the late Archbishop O’Hara because of the work Monsignor O’Connor had done for furthering the work of vocations in Georgia. In 1950, the cardinals and archbishops of the United States appointed Monsignor O’Connor as the fourth director of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception located on the campus of the University. During his tenure of office the drive was completed for fourteen million dollars to build the superstructure of the Shrine and the work was begun.

In 1956 Monsignor O’Connor after a long teaching and administrative career, returned to his native state of Georgia and became the pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Mother Church of the churches in North Georgia, located in Atlanta. During this period he was cofounder with Monsignor Cornelius I. Maloney of Our Lady’s Day School. In 1958, he was appointed to the pastorate of the parish of St. Thomas More, Decatur.

Monsignor O’Connor is a member of the Board of Consultors to the archbishop, a member of the archdiocesan school board, director of the Mission Apostolate, chairman of the Commission for Vocations, director of the Latin School.

He brings to the office of secretary a career rich in educational experience both in teaching and administration. He is internationally known as an eloquent preacher and lecturer.