John Joseph Keane

John Joseph Keane (September 22, 1839 – June 22, 1918) was an American Roman Catholic archbishop, born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland. His family emigrated to America when he was seven years old. He was educated at Saint Charles's College, Ellicott City, Maryland, and at Saint Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, and on July 2, 1866 was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore and made curate of St Patrick's, Washington, D.C. He served as a priest until March 28, 1878 when at the age of 38 on August 25, 1878 he was consecrated Bishop of Richmond, to succeed James Gibbons, and he had established the Confraternity of the Holy Ghost in that diocese, and founded schools and churches for blacks before his appointment as first rector of The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., in 1886, and his appointment in 1888 to the see of Ajasso.

He did much to upbuild the Catholic University, but his democratic and liberal policy made him enemies at Rome, whence there came in 1896 a request for his resignation of the rectorate, and where he spent the years 1897 to 1900 as canon of St. John Lateran, assistant bishop at the pontifical throne, and counsellor to the Propaganda. During this time he served as a titular Bishop and Archbishop of places such as Jasso, Damascus, Ciana.

In 1900 he was consecrated Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa following the death of John Hennessy. He served as Archbishop until poor health forced him to resign in 1911. Keane was succeeded by James Keane. Even though both men had the same last name, they were not related. Local citizens have also drawn comparisons between the two men. John Hennessy was known as "Sugar" due to his kind and generous nature. James Keane was nicknamed as "Hickory" due to his stern personality. He took a prominent part in the Catholic Young Men's National Union and in the Total Abstinence Union of North America; and was in general charge of the Catholic delegation to the Worlds Parliament of Religions held at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. He lectured widely on temperance, education and American institutions, and in 1890 was Dudleian lecturer at Harvard University.

John Keane remained in Dubuque until his death in June 1918. Following his death Keane was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in nearby Key West. As of 2006, Keane is one of three Bishops not to be buried as St. Raphael's Cathedral

A selection from his writings and addresses was edited by Maurice Francis Egan under the title "Onward and Upward: A Year Book" (Baltimore, 1902).

References

Ahern, Patrick Henry, "The Life of John J. Keane: Educator and Archbishop, 1839-1918" Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee (1955)

Ahern, Patrick Henry, "The Catholic University of America: The Rectorship of John J. Keane" The Catholic University of America Press, Washington, DC (1948)

1911* [http://81.1911encyclopedia.org/K/KE/KEANE_JOHN_JOSEPH.htm Adapted from the 1911 encyclopedia]
* [http://students.cua.edu/38alderfer/keane.htm Biopgraphy of the Historic Images of the Catholic Universities of America]