John Cardinal McCloskey
John McCloskey, later
John Cardinal McCloskey, (
March 10,
1810 -
October 10,
1885) born to
Irish immigrants, in
Brooklyn, was the fifth bishop (second archbishop) of the
Roman Catholic diocese of
New York. He attended Mount St. Mary's College in
Emmitsburg, Maryland: his schooling was interrupted by an accident that resulted in temporary blindness. Following graduation he became the first New York-born priest on
January 12,
1834, and the first president of St. John's College (now
Fordham University). He was appointed the Coadjutor Bishop of New York on
November 21,
1843, ordained a bishop on
March 10,
1844 with the titular see of Axiere, appointed Bishop of
Albany on
May 21,
1847, and appointed
Archbishop of New York on
May 6,
1864.
Archbishop McCloskey was elevated to Cardinal by Pope Pius IX in the consistory of March 15, 1875, becoming the first American cardinal. He dedicated the newly-constructed St. Patrick's Cathedral on May 25,1879. He served as Archbishop until his death, and is interred in the crypt under the altar of St. Patrick's Cathedral.