James Patrick Keleher

James Patrick Keleher (July 31, 1931 – November 9, 2024) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Belleville in Illinois from 1984 to 1993 and as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas from 1993 to 2005.

Biography

Early life and education James Keleher was born on July 31, 1931, on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, to James and Rita (née Cullinane) Keleher. Rita was born in County Kerry, Ireland. She came to Chicago in the 1920s, later retiring as a registered nurse to raise her children. James Keleher senior was a salesman in Chicago for Will & Baumer Candle Company, a manufacturer of church candles . After his ordination, Keleher continued his studies at St. Mary of the Lake, obtaining a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree in 1962 with a dissertation on the writings of Augustine of Hippo. He also served during this time as chaplain and confessor to the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at their monastery in Clyde, Missouri.

On January 7, 2004, John Paul II appointed Bishop Joseph Naumann to serve as coadjutor archbishop for the archdiocese. On February 21, 2004, Keleher requested that parishes and other Catholic institutions within the archdiocese stop inviting politicians who support abortion rights for women to any events. This request was precipitated by the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas, inviting then Governor Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, to speak at an event.

Retirement and legacy On January 15, 2005, Keleher submitted his letter of resignation as archbishop of Kansas City to Pope Benedict XVI, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops. Keleher also visited state prisons in Kansas on a regular basis, including the celebration of a Chrism Mass in April 2011 at the Topeka Correctional Facility in Topeka, Kansas. After retirement, he was involved in Prison Ministry.

Keleher died in Olathe, Kansas, on November 9, 2024, at the age of 93.