Vincent Madeley Harris

Vincent Madeley Harris (October 14, 1913 – March 31, 1988) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.

After returning to the United States, Harris enter the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1940.

[2] On July 4, 1966, Harris was appointed the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Beaumont by Pope Paul VI.

[1] During the 1960s, Harris put pressure on segregated Knights of Columbus councils in the diocese that refused to admit African-Americans.

In 1964, he transferred all of his wealth to a trust fund providing direct assistance to the poor and sick along with low-interest loans to Catholic institutions.

[8] In September 1981, Harris joined with other Catholic bishops in Texas criticizing the development of a neutron bomb by the Reagan Administration.

[9] After suffering a stroke in 1984, Harris tendered his resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Austin to Pope Paul II.

In 1977, Harris made an appearance at a committee meeting of the Texas Legislature in which he condemned capital punishment as out of respect for human life.