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Bishop D'Arcy through the years

The Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend announced at 2:28 p.m. Sunday that Bishop Emeritus John M. D'Arcy has died.

The bishop, 80, had been stricken with cancer just after Christmas.

D'Arcy died late Sunday morning at his home, where he was surrounded by loved ones, the diocesan announcement said. He died on the 56th anniversary of celebrating his first Mass as an ordained priest.

Born Aug. 18, 1932, in Boston, D'Arcy studied at Saint John's Seminary in Brighton, Mass., and was ordained Feb. 2, 1957. He also studied at the Angelicum in Rome, from which he received a doctorate in spiritual theology in 1968.

He was ordained as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston on Feb. 14, 1975, and also served as spiritual director and professor of spiritual theology at Saint John's from 1968 to 1985.

D'Arcy's effort to improve the quality of priests was one of the highlights his tenure as bishop – and also generated its share of controversy.

“I became known as 'D'Arcy the hatchet man,' ” he told The News-Sentinel in 2005, shortly before celebrating his 20th anniversary as bishop. “In addition to helping the good guys become priests, I would help others out of the seminary, and I was criticized for that.”

The following photos have been pulled from The News-Sentinel files highlighting some of the events he was involved in over his tenure in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.

At the end of the Installation Mass, Bishop John D'Arcy was hugged by the newly installed Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades in January 2010 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. Photo by Ellie Bogue
Aram I, the spiritual leader of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, made a visit to Fort Wayne hosted by Zohrab and Naomi Tazian in December 2006. Aram I accepts a gift from Bishop John D'Arcy after a luncheon at the Tazian house - a book of writings by Pope Benedict. News-Sentinel file photo
After approaching the caskets, Bishop John D'Arcy stops to pray for mother Ana Casas Rios and daughters Liliana Karen, 10, Kathy, 4, and Thannya, 1, in December 2005. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia as U.S. District Judge William C. Lee and House of Rep. Mark Souder look on, before a brunch in October 2001 at the Grand Wayne Center. The justice was the guest speaker at the Red Mass Brunch. Photo by Ellie Bogue
Bishop John D'Arcy greets newlywed parishioners Todd and Janice Fletcher of Fort Wayne after conducting his last Mass before retirement in January 2010 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy celebrated 20 years in the diocese in 2005. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy blesses the broadcast studio for Redeemer Radio, the new Catholic Radio station, in January 2006. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy, lower right, enters the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception during the processional for Easter Mass in 2009. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy, center, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, right, greet Joe Ryan, left,  CFO of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, after Mass in November 2009. Bishop Rhoades will be the new bishop of the diocese. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy, right, greets one of the migrant families at the conclusion of a Mass in September 2009 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bluffton. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy with Pope John Paul II, circa 1998. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy with Pope John Paul II, circa 1998. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy with Pope John Paul II, circa 1993. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy speaks about the joys of being a priest during a special Mass in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination in April 2007 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy performs a Rite of Reparation for the desecration of St. Paul's Catholic Church on Washington Boulevard in February 2000. Bishop D'Arcy blessed water and carried out the sprinkling of the altar, walls and the people. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy welcomes the gathering for the installation of the Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades in January 2009 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. Photo by Ellie Bogue
Aram I, the spiritual leader of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, made a visit to Fort Wayne in December 2006, hosted by Zohrab and Naomi Tazian. Aram I meets with Bishop John D'Arcy and other local clergy members. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy greets a supporter after a protest in May 2009 at the University of Notre Dame against abortion and President Obama's appearance. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy, right, talks with fourth-grade students during an All Saints Mass in 2005 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The students were dressed as their favorite saints. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy, bottom center, walks down the main aisle of the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception to begin Mass for Mother Teresa in September 1997. About 300 people gathered for the service. News-Sentinel file photo
Bishop John D'Arcy, right, reads a blessing during Easter Mass in April 2009 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. News-Sentinel file photo
From left, Judy Hershberger and Sandy Matthys chat with Bishop John D'Arcy in August 2008 after Bishop Luers High School celebrated its 50th anniversary with a Mass and rededication of the school. On the right are classmates from 1962, Steve McArdle and Mary Jane Millikan. They  were all in the first graduating class from Bishop Luers High School. Photo by Ellie Bogue
Bishop John D'Arcy reads from a pamphlet he wrote during the 1970s outlining the priesthood and potential problems. News-Sentinel file photo
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