Moses E. Kiley

Moses Elias Kiley (November 13, 1876 – April 15, 1953) was a Canadian-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Trenton (1934–40) and Archbishop of Milwaukee (1940–53).

Early life and education

Moses Kiley was born in Margaree, on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, to John and Margaret (née McGarry) Kiley.^[1] He received his early education at a grade school in Baddeck, and moved to Somerville, Massachusetts, at age 16.^[2] He earned money to finance his higher education by working as an errand boy at a carriage shop in Somerville which his older brothers had established.^[2] He also worked as a floorwalker at a department store in Boston and as a trolley motorman.^[3][4]

In 1903, Kiley enrolled at the College of St. Laurent in Montreal, Quebec.^[1] After three years in Montreal, he began his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1906.^[2] The following year he was sent to continue his studies in Rome, where he resided at the Pontifical North American College.^[5] He earned a doctorate in philosophy from the University of St. Thomas in 1909, and a doctorate in theology from the Propaganda University in 1911.^[1]

Priesthood

Kiley was ordained a priest in Rome on June 10, 1911.^[6] Following his return to the United States, he was assigned as a curate at St. Agnes Church in Chicago, Illinois, where he remained for five years.^[1] In 1916, he established the Mission of the Holy Cross for homeless men.^[2] That same year, he was named the first archdiocesan director of Catholic Charities, a post which he held until 1926.^[1]

Kiley was elevated to the rank of Monsignor in 1924.^[2] From 1926 to 1934, he served as spiritual director of the Pontifical North American College in Rome.^[2]

Episcopacy

On February 10, 1934, Kiley was appointed the fifth Bishop of Trenton, New Jersey, by Pope Pius XI.^[6] He received his episcopal consecration one month later, on March 17, from Cardinal Raffaele Rossi, with Cardinal Carlo Salotti and Archbishop Thomas Walsh serving as co-consecrators, at the Church of Santa Susanna in Rome.^[6] His most notable achievement in Trenton was refinancing $10,000,000 of church obligations.^[4] Following the transfer of Archbishop Samuel Stritch to the Archdiocese of Chicago, Kiley was appointed the sixth Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Pope Pius XII on January 1, 1940.^[6] He was installed at the Church of the Gesu on the following March 28.^[2]

During his tenure in Milwaukee, Kiley earned a reputation as a conservative leader and stern administrator.^[7] He oversaw an extensive renovation of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, which suffered major damage from a fire in 1935.^[8] He rebuilt the St. Aemillian Orphanage, which had also suffered major fire damage in the 1930s.^[7] He also renovated St. Francis Seminary, converted Pio Nono High School into a minor seminary, and created a Catholic Family Life Bureau in 1948.^[8]

Kiley died at St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, at age 76.^[2]

References