John J. McEleney
Encyclopedia
John Joseph McEleney, S.J.
(November 13, 1895—October 5, 1986) was an American
prelate
of the Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop
and first Archbishop of Kingston
, seving between 1956 and 1970. He previously served as President of Fairfield University
(1942-44) and Vicar Apostolic of Jamaica
(1950-56).
, Massachusetts
, the only son among seven children of Charles H. and Bridget (née Gaffigan) McEleney. He attended local public schools, graduating from Woburn High School
in 1914. He studied at Boston College
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1918 and later a Master of Arts
degree in 1924.
In 1918, McEleney entered the Society of Jesus
, more commonly known as the Jesuits, at the novitiate in Yonkers
, New York
. He completed his classical studies at St. Andrew-on-Hudson Seminary in Hyde Park
in 1921, and then studied philosophy at Weston College in Massachusetts and at Woodstock College
in Maryland
. From 1924 to 1927, he was a language professor at the Ateneo de Manila University
in the Philippines
. He then returned to Weston College, where he completed his theological studies in 1931.
On June 18, 1930, McEleney was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop John Peterson
at Weston. He then served as assistant master of novices
at the Shadowbrook
novitiate in Lenox
until 1934, when he was sent to study ascetical theology
at North Wales
in the United Kingdom
. He resumed his post at Shadowbrook the following year, and earned a Doctor of Philosophy
degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
in 1937.
McEleney served as rector
of Shadowbrook from 1936 to 1942. In 1942, he became the first president of Fairfield University
and the first rector of Fairfield College Preparatory School
in Connecticut
. He remained in those posts for two years, and afterwards served as provincial
of the Jesuits' New England
Province from 1944 to 1950.
On February 3, 1950, McEleney was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Jamaica
and Titular Bishop of Zeugma
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following April 15 from Archbishop Richard Cushing, with Archbishop Henry O'Brien
and Bishop Daniel Feeney
serving as co-consecrators
, at Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston. When the apostolic vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Kingston
on February 29, 1956, McEleney became its first Bishop
.
McEleney attended the Second Vatican Council
between 1962 and 1965. He became an Archbishop
when the Diocese of Kingston was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese on September 14, 1967. During his twenty years in Jamaica, he encouraged the growth of a local church with a native clergy and nuns. He opened St. Michael's Seminary in 1952 to train native seminarians. He retired as archbishop on September 1, 1970; he was named Titular Archbishop of Lorium
by Pope Paul VI
on the same date, resigning on the following December 23.
McEleney spent his final three years at the Campion Center for Retired Jesuits in Weston. He died at Glover Memorial Hospital in Needham
, at age 90.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(November 13, 1895—October 5, 1986) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
and first Archbishop of Kingston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The Archdiocese encompasses the larger portion of the island of Jamaica, and the capital of Kingston...
, seving between 1956 and 1970. He previously served as President of Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
(1942-44) and Vicar Apostolic of Jamaica
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The Archdiocese encompasses the larger portion of the island of Jamaica, and the capital of Kingston...
(1950-56).
Biography
John McEleney was born in WoburnWoburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, the only son among seven children of Charles H. and Bridget (née Gaffigan) McEleney. He attended local public schools, graduating from Woburn High School
Woburn Memorial High School
Woburn Memorial High School is a public high school located in Woburn, Massachusetts. Woburn participates in the Middlesex League and is home to the Tanners and Tannerettes. The nickname "Tanners" has a historical context. In the late 19th century Woburn was one of the biggest producers of leather...
in 1914. He studied at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1918 and later a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1924.
In 1918, McEleney entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, more commonly known as the Jesuits, at the novitiate in Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He completed his classical studies at St. Andrew-on-Hudson Seminary in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
in 1921, and then studied philosophy at Weston College in Massachusetts and at Woodstock College
Woodstock College
Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to New York City, where it operated in cooperation with...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. From 1924 to 1927, he was a language professor at the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He then returned to Weston College, where he completed his theological studies in 1931.
On June 18, 1930, McEleney was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Bishop John Peterson
John Bertram Peterson
John Bertram Peterson was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Manchester from 1932 until his death in 1944.-Biography:...
at Weston. He then served as assistant master of novices
Master of novices
The master of novices or novice master is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to refer those religious to whom is committed the training of the novices and the government of the novitiate of a religious order or congregation...
at the Shadowbrook
Shadow Brook Farm Historic District
Shadow Brook Farm Historic District on state Route 183 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, is a historic district that includes six re-purposed farm buildings related to the former Shadowbrook mansion destroyed by fire in 1956. Designed by architect H. Neill Wilson with landscaping by Frederick Law...
novitiate in Lenox
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
until 1934, when he was sent to study ascetical theology
Ascetical Theology
Ascetical theology is the organized study or presentation of spiritual teachings found in Christian Scripture and the Church Fathers that help the faithful to more perfectly follow Christ and attain to Christian perfection. The word ascetic is from the Greek word ἄσκησις askesis, meaning practice....
at North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He resumed his post at Shadowbrook the following year, and earned a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1937.
McEleney served as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Shadowbrook from 1936 to 1942. In 1942, he became the first president of Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
and the first rector of Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School is a Jesuit Prep School located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all male school of about 900 students, first founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. He remained in those posts for two years, and afterwards served as provincial
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
of the Jesuits' New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Province from 1944 to 1950.
On February 3, 1950, McEleney was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Jamaica
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The Archdiocese encompasses the larger portion of the island of Jamaica, and the capital of Kingston...
and Titular Bishop of Zeugma
Samandag
Seleucia Pieria was a town in antiquity, the capital of Seleucus I Nicator, in Syria Prima. It was the port of the western Seleucid capital of Antioch, lying close to the mouth of the Orontes. Its ruins lie at the seaside village of Çevliknear the town of Samandağ in the Hatay Province of Turkey...
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following April 15 from Archbishop Richard Cushing, with Archbishop Henry O'Brien
Henry Joseph O'Brien
Henry Joseph O'Brien was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Hartford from 1945 to 1968.-Biography:...
and Bishop Daniel Feeney
Daniel Joseph Feeney
Daniel Joseph Feeney was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Portland from 1955 until his death.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, at Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston. When the apostolic vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Kingston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The Archdiocese encompasses the larger portion of the island of Jamaica, and the capital of Kingston...
on February 29, 1956, McEleney became its first Bishop
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
.
McEleney attended the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
between 1962 and 1965. He became an Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
when the Diocese of Kingston was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese on September 14, 1967. During his twenty years in Jamaica, he encouraged the growth of a local church with a native clergy and nuns. He opened St. Michael's Seminary in 1952 to train native seminarians. He retired as archbishop on September 1, 1970; he was named Titular Archbishop of Lorium
Lorium
Lorium was an ancient village of Etruria, Italy, on the Via Aurelia, 19 km west of Rome. Antoninus Pius, who was educated here, afterwards built a palace, in which he died...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on the same date, resigning on the following December 23.
McEleney spent his final three years at the Campion Center for Retired Jesuits in Weston. He died at Glover Memorial Hospital in Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, at age 90.