The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-08-19
METROPOLITAN OF DUBUQUE
REARED IN SOUTHERN MINNIE
sofa AND LABORED FOR
MANY YEARS IN THE DID,
cESE OF ST. PAUL.
A Scholarly, Jealous PreIate-Or-
dained in 1882 and consecrated
in 19o2-Sketch of His
Career.

The announcement of Bishop
keane's elevation to the Archiepis-
copal See of"Dubuque, Iowa, recorded
in last weeks issue of The Catholic
Bulletin, has been hailed with great
satisfaction by his host of friends in
the Twin Cities and throughout the
State of Minnesota. None know
better than they that the honor be-
slowed upon him is a well-merited
tribute to the zeal and energy with
which he has served the Church since
his ordination, and particularly since
his elevation to the episcopate as
Bishop of Cheyenne. That he will
discharge the duties of his new DO
sition with equal devotion and self
sacrifice there can be no doubt.
His appointment to the Metropolitan
See of Dubuque secures for that
Archdiocese a worthy successor to
Loras, Hennessey, and Keane-pre-
lates who have shed lustre on the
annals of the Church. in America.
The Right Reverend James John
Keane was born at Joliet, ILL.,, August
rs, 1857. While quite young his
parents moved to Pine Island, near
Rochester, in southern Minnesota,
where he received his primary edu-
cation. His classical studies were
made at St. Johns University, Col
legeville, Mimi, and at st. Francis
Xavier College, New York City.
At an early age he evinced desire
to join the ranks of the Priesthood,
and, accordingly, he entered the
Grand Seminary at Montreal, where
he pursued his studies in philosophy
and theology. On June %, 1882, he
was ordained priest by the late Arch
bishop Fabre of Montreal. On his
return to st. Paul he was appointed
assistant pastor of the Church of ST..
Mary, where he remained until 1885
when he assumed the pastorate of
the Church of st. Joseph. The fol-
lowing year he was transferred to the
College of st. Thomas as procurator,
and in 1888 he was made President
of that institution, position he oc-
cupied until September 1892. when
he was made pastor of the Church of
the Immaculate Conception, Mime
apolis, in succession to the Rev. J. C.
Byrne, who was appointed President
OF the College of st. Thomas. On
October %, 1902, he was consecrated
Bishop of Cheyenne by the Most
Reverend Archbishop Ireland.
When he was installed in his new
Diocese he found less than a dozen
priests ministering to the spiritual
needs of the small Catholic popula-
ton scattered over the whole State
of Wyoming, over which his juris-
diction extended. With his usual
energy and foresight he set himself
to work, establishing parishes and
missions wherever possible and pro-
viding priests to attend to his scat
tered flock. During these nine years
he has done the work OF an apostolic
missionary, going about from place
to place, preaching missions. exhort-
ing, entreating, reproving and striving
to establish the Church upon a solid
basis. He built a Cathedral in
Cheyenne which would do credit to
many a well-established Diocese.
His zeal extended beyond the con-
fines of the State of Wyoming and
manifested itself in the preaching of
retreats and the conducting of mis-
sions in many Dioceses throus shout the
country. Under the auspices of the
Knights of Columbus he delivered
serious OF lectures to non-Catholics
in many parts of the country and
gained an enviable record as a
scholarly prelate who is coaversant
with whatever effects the welfare of
the Church in America. Under his
administration, no doubt, the Diocese
of Dubuque will flourish ani bring
forth fruit worthy of it's past history
and of it's future prospects. AID null
tos amos!