McCloskey, John (1810-1885), was the first American to be named a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the second archbishop of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New York from 1864 until his death. Pope Pius IX named him a cardinal in 1875 despite McCloskey’s opposition to the definition of papal infallibility at Vatican Council I.
McCloskey was born on March 10, 1810, in New York City. He was ordained a priest in 1834 and a bishop in 1844. From 1847 to 1864, he served as the first bishop of Albany, New York. There he won the respect of politicians, helped reduce widespread anti-Catholic sentiment, and oversaw a large building program of new schools and churches. While serving as archbishop, he saw to the needs of thousands of immigrants. McCloskey also supervised the completion of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. He died on Oct. 10, 1885.
