James Joseph Sweeney

James Joseph Sweeney (June 19, 1898 – June 19, 1968) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of Honolulu in Hawaii from 1941 until his death in 1968.

Biography

Early life

James Sweeney was born on June 19, 1898, in San Francisco, California, to John Joseph and Catherine (née McCarrick) Sweeney. He received his early education at St. James Boys School in San Francisco from 1907 to 1913. After deciding to become a priest, Sweeney entered Saint Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park.<ref name="curtis">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Priesthood

Sweeney was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on June 24, 1925, by Archbishop Edward Hanna at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco.<ref name=":0" />

Sweeney served as assistant pastor in the archdiocese until 1931, when he was appointed the archdiocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1929, Pope Pius XI conferred the title of monsignor on Sweeney.<ref name="curtis" />

Bishop of Honolulu

On May 20, 1941, Sweeney was appointed the titular bishop of Vicus Aterii and the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Honolulu by Pope Pius XII. He was consecrated at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption on July 25, 1941, by Archbishop John Joseph Mitty.<ref name=":0" /> During World War II, Sweeney performed confirmation on 400 soldiers stationed in Hawaii. He also organized a Crusade of Prayer in which the children of the diocese prayed for the safety of an individual serviceman.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Sweeney established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) in the diocese to provide religious instruction to Catholic children attending public schools. In 1946, Sweeney opened the St. Stephen Seminary, a minor seminary in Kailua, Hawaii. During his tenure as bishop, Sweeney opened 21 new parishes and increased the enrollment in Catholic schools to over 22,000 students.<ref name=":1" />

Death and legacy

Sweeney died on his 70th birthday on June 19, 1968, in San Francisco.<ref name=":0" /> His funeral liturgy was held at his home parish of Saint Paul in San Francisco. At his request, he was buried with his parents in a family crypt in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.