The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-21
DR. mooney 20
YEARS A PRIEST
President of Seton Hall College
H0n0red by Students on
His Anniversary.

Because Of it being the twentieth an
niVersary of his ordination to the Ro-
mar Catholic priesthood today, the
Rev. DIR. James +. Mooney, president
of Seton Hall College, will give the
students a holiday tomorrow. The
students today presented DIR. Mooney
with a fumidor as a token Of esteem.
DR.. Mooney was born in Brooklyn in
1864. He took his preparatory course
at Seton Hall, from which institution
he was graduated at The age of TWEEN
ty, the honor graduate of the class of
"a. He wen then to Italy and took his
theology in the College of Brignole-Sale,
at Genoa, a famous missionary college
Gffiliated with the College of the Propa-
ganda in Rome. After completing this
course of theology with high honors he
was ordained priest in 1889 by the
Archbishop of Genoa.
Father Mooney then returned to his
native land and to the diocese of New
ark, where he was first temporarily APP
pointed to assist the Rev. Maurice P.
O'Connor, who was then busily engaged
in arranging for the dedication of Holy
Cross Church, Harrison. His know,-
edge of the Italian language induced
Bishop Wiggcr, three months later, to
transfer him to st. Johns Church, Or
ange, because of the large influx of
Italians into that city.
Another italian Mission.
After six months in Orange Father
Mooney was called upon to UNDER
take another Italian mission, namely,
the organization of the Italian parish
of Dur Lady of Mount Carmel, New
ark. After almost two years of ardu-
Gus labors there, during which the
Italian congregation grew under his
organizing efforts, he was in 1892
transferred to st. Mary's, Jersey City.
Owing to the advanced age of the
pastor of that church at the time the
entire administration of the parish de-
volved upon Father Mooney.
In 1898 Father Mooney was appoint
ed to the pastorate of st. Cecilia's
Church, Kearny, where he remained
three years, during which period he
succeeded in providing the most ample
school accommodations. He accom-
plished much needed Improvements for
St. Cecilia's Church and reduced the
debt or the parish by $1,000. 1t was
while he vas at Kearny that he estab-
lished the e parish of st. Stephens
at Arlington.
Transferred to kcarny.
Father Mooney was next trans
ferred from the Kearny Church to
Seton Hall Seminary, where he became
professor of theology and was also APP
pointed spiritual director of the sem
mary. II 1899 he was made examiner
of the clergy, and in 1894 appointed as
censor of the ecclesiastical writings
published in the diocese.
DIR. Mooney gained his degree of doc
tor of divinity about two years ago
in st. Thomas Aquinas College, Genoa,
Italy.
On Thursday, January 10, 1907, IL
was announced that DIR. Mooney had
been chosen to fill the high positions
of president of Seton Hall College and
rector Of the seminary, retaining the
chair of theology at the latter institu-
ton, a post he had previously occu-
pied for ive years and a half. DR..
Mooney is noted as a strict disci-
plinarian and has demonstrated marked
executive ability. His administration
is highly popular among the student
body and the seminarians.