James Albert Duffy


Bishop James Albert Duffy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island, Nebraska from 1913 to 1931.

Early life and education

Duffy was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the third child of James J. Duffy and Johanna Shiely. When the death of the parents in 1879 orphaned the eight Duffy children, James Albert went to live at the Boys Orphan Asylum in Minneapolis. From 1887 to 1893 he was a student at the University of St. Thomas and subsequently attended Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity from 1894 to 1899.

Career

He was ordained on 27 May 1899 in St. Paul, Minnesota, by James Trober. Following his ordination, Duffy served as a priest at Immaculate Conception Church in Minneapolis and at St. Anne's Church in Le Sueur, Minnesota. In 1904, he became rector at the cathedral parish of St. Mary's in Cheyenne, Wyoming, under Bishop James J. Keane, and subsequently authored the article on the Diocese of Cheyenne for the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Duffy was consecrated as the first bishop of the Diocese of Kearney by Archbishop James J. Keane on 13 April 1913. Duffy oversaw construction of the Cathedral of St. Mary from 1926–1928, and he also established the Nebraska Register. He remained bishop until 1931, after which he retired due to ill health, and became Titular bishop of Silandus.

Death

He died on 12 February 1968 at St. Joseph's infirmary in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Grand Island, Nebraska. At the time of his death, Bishop Duffy was most the senior Bishop in the United States in both age and years of consecration.