Early life John Keane was born on September 12, 1839, in
Ballyshannon,
County Donegal, Ireland, to Hugh and Fannie (Connolly) Keane. He was one of five children. The Keane family immigrated to the United States when he was seven years old. He was educated at
Saint Charles College in Ellicott City, Maryland, and at
Saint Mary's Seminary in
Baltimore, Maryland.
Priesthood On July 2, 1866, Keane was ordained a priest in Baltimore for the
Archdiocese of Baltimore by Archbishop
Martin Spalding. After his ordination, Keane was appointed curate of
St. Patrick's Parish in Washington, D.C., He also established the
Tabernacle Society in Washington that worked with poor parishes throughout the country.
Bishop of Richmond On March 28, 1878,
Pope Leo XIII appointed Keane as the fifth bishop of the
Diocese of Richmond at age 38. He was consecrated on August 25, 1878, by Archbishop
James Gibbons. Bishops
John Joseph Kain and
Thomas Foley were the principal co-consecrators. As bishop, Keane established the Confraternity of the Holy Ghost, a Catholic fellowship, in the diocese.
Rome On January 29, 1897, Leo XIII named Keane as the
titular archbishop of Damascus. He travelled to Rome, spending the years 1897 to 1899 as canon of the
Basilica of St. John Lateran,
assistant at the pontifical throne, and counsellor to the
Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. ==References==