John J. McEleney

John Joseph McEleney, S.J. (November 13, 1895 – October 5, 1986) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop and first Archbishop of Kingston, serving between 1956 and 1970. Earlier, he served as the first president of Fairfield University (1942–1944) and as Vicar Apostolic of Jamaica (1950–1956).

Biography John McEleney was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, the only son among seven children of Charles H. and Bridget (née Gaffigan) McEleney. He attended local public schools, graduating from Woburn High School in 1914. He studied at Boston College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1918 and later a Master of Arts degree in 1924.

In 1918, McEleney entered the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as the Jesuits, at the novitiate in Yonkers, New York. He then served as assistant master of novices at the Shadowbrook novitiate in Lenox until 1934, when he was sent to study ascetical theology at North Wales in the United Kingdom. He retired as archbishop on September 1, 1970; he was named Titular Archbishop of Lorium by Pope Paul VI on the same date, resigning on the following December 23.

McEleney spent his final three years at the Campion Center for Retired Jesuits in Weston. He died at Glover Memorial Hospital in Needham, at age 90.