James A. Kowalski
Encyclopedia
The Very Rev. Dr. James A. Kowalski is the 9th and current dean
of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York, and is one of the most prominent Episcopal church
clergyman in New York City
, the largest city in the United States
. He has been dean since April 13, 2002.
Kowalski's father was Roman Catholic, and his mother was Jewish, but they joined the Episcopal Church when they started a family. His father was "a blue collar
worker, [who] served on the vestry
...." Kowalski was born on September 11, 1951 in Willimantic, Connecticut
, also described as a "blue collar town".
, served as an acolyte
, and was an Eagle Scout
in a boy scout
troop.
He earned his bachelor's degree in English at Trinity College
in Hartford, Connecticut
, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, a notable honors society. He attended Episcopal Divinity School
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
, and after a hiatus at New York University School of Law
, he returned to religious studies in 1976, and graduated in 1978 with a Master's degree in Divinity. In the meanwhile, in 1976, he married Anne Brewer, a medical doctor, who has also been an ordained Episcopal priest since 1980. They have two grown children.
In 1978, he was also ordained as a deacon
. He was
"an intern chaplain at the University of Vermont
," and curate
at Trinity Church in Newtown, Connecticut
. After ordination
to the priesthood, Kowalski served as priest
at the Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House
in Hartford, Connecticut
from 1982 to 1993. He earned a Doctor of Ministry
degree from Hartford Seminary
.
He served as rector
at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut
from 1993 to 2001, for nine years at one of the largest Episcopal churches in the United States, with 4,000 members. He raised a capital campaign of $2.8 million and increased giving by $450,000 annually to St. Luke's parish. Berkeley Divinity School
at Yale University
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity
degree.
, former Governor of New York
.
cathedral in the world. He is "is 'the voice and face' of the Cathedral in terms of public and community relations." As a leading clergyman, he speaks at other Anglican church cathedrals, including at Manchester, England, and Covington, Kentucky
. He also speaks and writes on peace
in the world.
Each year on the first Sunday of October, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine celebrates the feast day of St. Francis
, which is October 4, and, one year, Kowalski welcomed peacocks to the cathedral close
in New York.
On November 30, 2008, Kowalski officially re-opened the Cathedral after workers made repairs to the burned structure. Kowalski compared continuing the church's programs while it was being re-built was "like living through a kitchen renovation, but ...'We're only doing it on a grander scale.'" The re-dedication ceremony was co-led by Kowalski, with The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Right Rev. Mark S. Sisk
, the Episcopal bishop of New York. The ceremony was attended by many prominent politicians, including former Mayor David N. Dinkins, Senator Charles E. Schumer and then-senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
. After the ceremony, Kowalski said, "The massiveness of this cathedral is part of its ability to be a compelling, awe-inspiring place...."
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York, and is one of the most prominent Episcopal church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
clergyman in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the largest city in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He has been dean since April 13, 2002.
Kowalski's father was Roman Catholic, and his mother was Jewish, but they joined the Episcopal Church when they started a family. His father was "a blue collar
Blue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
worker, [who] served on the vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
...." Kowalski was born on September 11, 1951 in Willimantic, Connecticut
Willimantic, Connecticut
Willimantic is a census-designated place and former city located in the town of Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was estimated at 15,823 at the 2000 census. It is home to Eastern Connecticut State University, as well as the Windham Textile and History Museum....
, also described as a "blue collar town".
Early life and work
As a boy, Kowalski sang in a choirChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, served as an acolyte
Acolyte
In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone who performs ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In other Christian Churches, the term is more specifically used for one who wishes to attain clergyhood.-Etymology:...
, and was an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
in a boy scout
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
troop.
He earned his bachelor's degree in English at Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, a notable honors society. He attended Episcopal Divinity School
Episcopal Divinity School
The Episcopal Divinity School is a seminary of the Episcopal Church based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Known throughout the Anglican Communion for prophetic teaching and action on issues of civil rights and social justice, its faculty and students have been directly involved in many of the social...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, and after a hiatus at New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
, he returned to religious studies in 1976, and graduated in 1978 with a Master's degree in Divinity. In the meanwhile, in 1976, he married Anne Brewer, a medical doctor, who has also been an ordained Episcopal priest since 1980. They have two grown children.
In 1978, he was also ordained as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
. He was
"an intern chaplain at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
," and curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Trinity Church in Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...
. After ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to the priesthood, Kowalski served as priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
at the Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House
Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House
Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House is a historic church at 155 Wyllys Street in Hartford, Connecticut.It was built in 1867 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.-References:...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
from 1982 to 1993. He earned a Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
degree from Hartford Seminary
Hartford Seminary
Hartford Seminary is a theological college in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.-History:Seminaries in the city of Hartford date back to 1833. In 1913, the current Hartford Seminary came into existence through the combination of three Hartford-based schools affiliated with the city's Congregationalist...
.
He served as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
from 1993 to 2001, for nine years at one of the largest Episcopal churches in the United States, with 4,000 members. He raised a capital campaign of $2.8 million and increased giving by $450,000 annually to St. Luke's parish. Berkeley Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School, founded in 1854, is an official seminary of the Episcopal Church, based in New Haven, Connecticut. The seminary was originally founded as a middle-way between the Anglo-Catholic leaning General Theological Seminary in New York, and the Evangelical-leaning Virginia...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree.
Call to the deanery
In November 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine called Kowalski to be their new dean. His diverse experience, promise to stay at least 10 years, and "a penchant for fund-raising" were reasons mentioned at the time for his election as ninth dean. One search committee member said he "came across as an intelligent, accessible and articulate clergyman...." He assumed his duties as dean in March 2002. However, due to a "devastating" fire at the Cathedral in December 2001, his installation was delayed until April 13, 2002. The sermon at his installation ceremony was given by Mario CuomoMario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
, former Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
.
Work as Dean
Kowalski "works in partnership with the Bishop" and runs the largest GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
cathedral in the world. He is "is 'the voice and face' of the Cathedral in terms of public and community relations." As a leading clergyman, he speaks at other Anglican church cathedrals, including at Manchester, England, and Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
. He also speaks and writes on peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
in the world.
Each year on the first Sunday of October, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine celebrates the feast day of St. Francis
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
, which is October 4, and, one year, Kowalski welcomed peacocks to the cathedral close
Cathedral Close
A cathedral close is an architectural term referring to the series of buildings that serve as appendages to a cathedral. These may include buildings housing diocesan offices, schools, free-standing chapels associated with the cathedral, and the houses of the bishop and other clergy associated with...
in New York.
On November 30, 2008, Kowalski officially re-opened the Cathedral after workers made repairs to the burned structure. Kowalski compared continuing the church's programs while it was being re-built was "like living through a kitchen renovation, but ...'We're only doing it on a grander scale.'" The re-dedication ceremony was co-led by Kowalski, with The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Katharine Jefferts Schori
Katharine Jefferts Schori is the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States. Previously elected as the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, she is the first woman elected as a primate of the Anglican Communion...
, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Right Rev. Mark S. Sisk
Mark S. Sisk
The Right Reverend Mark Sean Sisk is the 15th Episcopal Bishop of New York.-Early education, career, and marriage:...
, the Episcopal bishop of New York. The ceremony was attended by many prominent politicians, including former Mayor David N. Dinkins, Senator Charles E. Schumer and then-senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
. After the ceremony, Kowalski said, "The massiveness of this cathedral is part of its ability to be a compelling, awe-inspiring place...."