James O'Connor

James O'Connor, S.J. (September 10, 1823 – May 27, 1890) was the first Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska. Biography James O'Connor was born in Queenstown, Ireland, September 10, 1823. In 1834, his older brother Michael, former Vice-Rector of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, was serving as chaplain at for the convent of the Presentation Sisters in Doneraile. Peter Richard Kenrick, brother of Francis Kenrick, coadjutor bishop of Philadelphia, persuaded Father Michael to come to Philadelphia and teach at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. James accompanied his brother to Philadelphia and took up studies at the seminary. From there he completed his studies at the Pontificio Collegio Urbano de Propaganda Fide in Rome, where he was ordained a priest in 1845. In the meantime, his brother had been appointed Bishop of Pittsburgh. James therefore took up missionary work in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. His administrative skills led him to be appointed in 1857 president of the diocesan seminary of St. Michael. This led in 1862 to Archbishop Wood naming him rector of St. Charles Borromeo. In 1872, he became pastor of St. Dominic's in Holmesburg, Philadelphia and served as chaplain to the nearby Society of the Sacred Heart at their motherhouse at Eden Hall in Torresdale.