David B. Thompson

His Excellency, The Most Reverend David Bernard Thompson
Archbishop of Atlanta Titular Bishop of xxx
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Archdiocese of Atlanta
In office	1990 to 1999
Predecessor	Ernest Leo Unterkoefler
Orders
Ordination	May 27, 1950 by Joseph McCormick
Consecration	May 24, 1989 by Pio Laghi, Norbert Felix Gaughan and Eugene Antonio Marino
Personal details
Born	May 29, 1923 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Died	July 12, 1999(1999-07-12) (aged 76)
Education	St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Catholic University of America
Motto	Christi impetus pacis (Working for the peace of Christ)

Styles of David Thompson
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

David Bernard Thompson (May 29, 1923 − November 24, 2013) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Charleston in South Carolina from 1990 to 1999.

Biography

Early life

David Thompson was born on May 29, 1923, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His twin brother, Edward Thompson, became a priest also. He attended West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys in Philadelphia. After graduating in 1941, Thompson entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, to prepare for the priesthood. He finished at St. Charles with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in history.

Priesthood

Notre Dame High School, Easton, Pennsylvania

Thompson was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on May 27, 1950 by Bishop Joseph McCormick. That same year, he moved to Washington D.C. to study at the Catholic University of America (CUA). He received a Licentiate of Canon Law from the CUA School of Canon Law.

After returning to Philadelphia in 1952, the archdiocese assigned him as a teacher and guidance counselor at St. Thomas More High School. He also took coursework at Villanova University in Philadelphia at that time. In 1957, he was named as the founding principal for Notre Dame High School in Easton, Pennsylvania.

That same year Thompson established a dance show at Notre Dame based on the popular television show American Bandstand. The Notre Dame Bandstand show featured performers such as Paul Anka, Fabian, Connie Francis and Herman's Hermits. Thompson gained the name of "Father Bandstand".

When the Vatican erected the Diocese of Allentown in 1961, Thompson was incardinated, or transferred, to the new diocese. He was named as the first chancellor of Allentown. The Vatican in 1963 elevated Thompson to the rank of domestic prelate and in 1966 Bishop Joseph McShea appointed him as vicar general.

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Charleston

On April 22, 1989, Thompson was appointed coadjutor bishop of Charleston by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on May 24, 1989, from Archbishop Pio Laghi, with Bishop Norbert Gaughan and Archbishop Eugene Marino serving as co-consecrators. Thompson assumed as his episcopal motto: Christi Impetus Pacis, meaning, "Working for the Peace of Christ."

Thompson automatically succeeded Bishop Ernest Unterkoefler as the eleventh bishop of Charleston upon the latter's resignation on February 22, 1990. Thompson's tenure was marked by the Synod of Charleston, which lasted from 1992 to 1995; it was the first diocesan synod held there since 1958.

Death and legacy

Thompson resigned as bishop of Charleston on July 12, 1999. He died in Charleston on November 24, 2013, at the age of 90.

Awards

• Tree of Life award from the Jewish National Fund
• Order of the Palmetto award from the State of South Carolina

See also

• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston