John McCloskey

McCloskey previously served as bishop of Albany in New York State (1847–1864). In 1875, McCloskey became the first American cardinal. He served as the first president of St. John's College, now Fordham University, from 1841 to 1842.

Early life and education John McCloskey was born on March 10, 1810, in Brooklyn, New York, to Patrick and Elizabeth (née Hassan) McCloskey, who had immigrated to the United States from County Londonderry in Ireland, shortly after their marriage in 1808. He was baptized by Reverend Benedict Joseph Fenwick on May 6, 1810, at St. Peter's Church in Manhattan. At that time, Brooklyn did not yet have a Catholic church, so the McCloskey family had to row across the East River to Manhattan to attend mass.

At age five, McCloskey was enrolled at a boarding school for boys in Brooklyn run by the retired English actress Charlotte Melmoth. Even in his advanced years, he attributed his distinct enunciation to his training there. He moved with his family to Manhattan in 1817, and then entered the Latin school run by Thomas Brady, father of attorney James T. Brady and Judge John R. Brady. Following his father's death in 1820, the family moved to a farm in Bedford, New York.

The 11-year-old McCloskey, after a brief visit with Reverend John Dubois, entered Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in September 1821. As a student at Mount St. Mary's, McCloskey was described as having "...won the admiration and esteem of his teachers and the respect and love of his college-mates by the piety and modesty of his character, his gentleness, and sweet disposition, the enthusiasm with which he threw himself into his studies, and his prominent standing in class." In his graduating year, McCloskey delivered a speech on patriotism that doubled as a defense of the poet Horace's phrase, "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country". Following his graduation in 1826, he returned to his mother's farm in Bedford.

During the spring of 1827 in Bedford, McCloskey was attempting to drive a team of oxen drawing a heavy load of logs when the wagon overturned, burying him under the logs for several hours. He was later discovered and taken to his house. For the next several days, McCloskey was unconscious. When he woke up, he was totally blind for a time. Although he regained his eyesight, he tired easily and suffered from poor health for the rest of his life. In addition to his studies, he began teaching Latin in 1829 at Mount St. Mary's. He received the tonsure, minor orders, and subdiaconate all from Bishop Francis Kenrick.

Priesthood

On January 12, 1834, McCloskey was ordained a priest for the Diocese of New York by Bishop John Dubois, at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in Manhattan. He became the first native New Yorker to enter the priesthood from the diocese. McCloskey busied himself primarily with a visitation of the entire diocese He was also instrumental in the conversion Catholicism of Isaac Hecker, founder of the Paulist Fathers, and of James Roosevelt Bayley, who later became archbishop of Baltimore.

Bishop of Albany

McCloskey was named the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Albany by Pope Pius IX on May 21, 1847.

McCloskey first selected St. Mary's Church in Albany as his episcopal see, but it soon proved unsuitable as a cathedral. McCloskey then started construction of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in that city. The cornerstone was laid in July 1848 and its dedication took place in November 1852.

McCloskey attended the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852, convened the first diocesan synod in October 1855, and was named an assistant at the pontifical throne by the Vatican in 1862. During his tenure in Albany, he increased the number of parishes to 113 and the number of priests to 84. He established three academies for boys and one for girls, four orphanages and 15 parochial schools. One significant accomplishment was the opening of St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary in Troy. Archbishop of New York

Following Hughes' death in January 1864, McCloskey was widely expected to be named his successor. However, Pius IX nevertheless appointed him as the second archbishop of New York on May 6, 1864 and McCloskey accepted the position. The news of his elevation was well received by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, and was viewed as a sign of the growing prestige of the United States. He received the red biretta from Archbishop Bayley in a ceremony at the Old St. Patrick's Cathedral on April 27, 1875. At the ceremony, McCloskey declared, "Not to my poor merits but to those of the young and already vigorous and most flourishing Catholic Church of America has this honor been given by the Supreme Pontiff. Nor am I unaware that, when the Holy Father determined to confer me this honor he had regard to the dignity of the See of New York, to the merits and devotion of the venerable clergy and numerous laity, and that he had in mind even the eminent rank of this great city and the glorious American nation." Following the death of Pius IX in February 1878, McCloskey left for Rome but arrived too late to participate in the papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIII. The new pope bestowed the red hat upon him on March 28, 1878. McCloskey dedicated the new St. Patrick's Cathedral in May 1879. Among these were the first parish for black Catholics as well as new churches for the growing Polish and Italian communities. The number of priests also rose from 150 to 400 during his tenure. An advocate of Catholic education, at the time of his death there were 37,000 children enrolled at archdiocesan schools. He established several charitable societies for children and a hospital for the mentally ill.

Death Throughout 1885, McCloskey suffered from bouts of fever, intense pain, loss of sight, and a recurrence of malaria. He also appeared to be suffering symptoms of what could have been Parkinson's disease. Within a few months, he was hospitalized

McCloskey died on October 10, 1885, at age 75 with his three nieces and his private secretary Monsignor John Farley at his bedside. His funeral mass was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral on October 25, 1885; during the eulogy, Archbishop James Gibbons described him as "a kind father, a devoted friend, a watchful shepherd, a fearless leader and, above all, an impartial judge." John McCloskey is interred under the main altar at St. Patrick's Cathedral.