James Albert Duffy

Bishop James Albert Duffy (13 September 1873 – 12 February 1968) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island (formerly diocese of Kearney), Nebraska from 1913 to 1931.[1]

James Albert Duffy
Bishop
Diocese	Diocese of Grand Island
Installed	1913
Term ended	1931
Successor	Stanislaus Vincent Bona
Orders
Ordination	27 May 1899 by James Trober
Consecration	13 April 1913 by James J. Keane
Personal details
Born	(1873-09-13)13 September 1873 St. Paul, Minnesota
Died	12 February 1968(1968-02-12) (aged 94) Hot Springs, Arkansas
Buried	Calvary Cemetery, Grand Island, Nebraska
Nationality	American
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	James J. Duffy Johanna Shiely
Alma mater	Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Early life and education

Duffy was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the third child of James J. Duffy and Johanna Shiely. When the death of the parents in 1879 orphaned the eight Duffy children, James Albert went to live at the Boys Orphan Asylum in Minneapolis. From 1887 to 1893 he was a student at the University of St. Thomas and subsequently attended Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity from 1894 to 1899.[2]

Career

He was ordained on 27 May 1899 in St. Paul, Minnesota, by James Trober. Following his ordination, Duffy served as a priest at Immaculate Conception Church in Minneapolis (1899-1902) and at St. Anne's Church in Le Sueur, Minnesota (1902-1904). In 1904, he became rector at the cathedral parish of St. Mary's in Cheyenne, Wyoming, under Bishop James J. Keane,[2] and subsequently authored the article on the Diocese of Cheyenne for the Catholic Encyclopedia.[2]

Duffy was consecrated as the first bishop of the Diocese of Kearney (which became the Diocese of Grand Island in 1917) by Archbishop James J. Keane on 13 April 1913. Duffy oversaw construction of the Cathedral of St. Mary from 1926–1928, and he also established the Nebraska Register. He remained bishop until 1931, after which he retired due to ill health, and became Titular bishop of Silandus.[3]

Death

He died on 12 February 1968 at St. Joseph's infirmary in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Grand Island, Nebraska.[3] At the time of his death, Bishop Duffy was most the senior Bishop in the United States in both age and years of consecration.[4]

References

1. Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Kearney (Nebraska)" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
2. The Catholic Encyclopedia and its makers. New York: The Encyclopedia Press. 1917. pp. 49.
3. "Bishop James Albert Duffy". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
4. "Most Reverend James A. Duffy". Nebraska Register. 44 (8). 16 February 1968. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2007.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by none (diocese erected)	Bishop of Grand Island (was Diocese of Kearney) 1913–1931	Succeeded by Stanislaus Vincent Bona