James Joseph Sweeney

For American football player, see Jim Sweeney (American football, born 1962).

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

The Most Reverend James Joseph Sweeney
Bishop of Honolulu
Appointed	20 May 1941
In office	1941–1968
Predecessor	Stephen Alencastre
Successor	John Joseph Scanlan
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Vicus Aterii
Orders
Ordination	24 June 1925
Consecration	25 July 1941 by John Joseph Mitty
Rank	Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1898-06-19)June 19, 1898 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	June 20, 1968(1968-06-20) (aged 70) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Buried	Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma
Denomination	Christianity
Coat of arms

Styles of James Joseph Sweeney
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	none

Biography

Sweeney was born in San Francisco, California, to John Joseph and Catherine (née McCarrick) Sweeney.^[1] He received his early education at St. James Boys School from 1907 to 1913.^[1] He later attended Saint Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park.

He 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. He served as assistant pastor until 1931 when he was appointed the archdiocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. On November 22, 1929, Pope Pius XI conferred the title of "Right Reverend Monsignor" on Father Sweeney.

On May 20, 1941, he was appointed the first bishop of the newly erected Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. He was consecrated on July 25 of that year. Bishop Sweeney saw the Honolulu see through World War II, and statehood.

He died on his 70th birthday in 1968 in San Francisco. 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.

References

1. Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands	Bishop of Honolulu 1941–1968	Succeeded by John Joseph Scanlan