McCloskey, John

McCloskey, John məklŏˈskē [key], 1810–85, American churchman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic church, b. Brooklyn. Ordained in 1834, he then furthered his studies for several years in Rome. He became coadjutor to the bishop of New York in 1844, bishop of Albany in 1847, and archbishop of New York in 1864. Created cardinal in 1875, he was the first American to be elevated. McCloskey oversaw significant growth in the archdiocese of New York, and was responsible for the completion of the current St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

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