John McElroy (Jesuit)
Encyclopedia
John McElroy, SJ was born in Ireland
in 1782, and came to the United States
in 1803. Fr. McElroy enrolled in Georgetown University
in 1806, the same year in which he joined the Society of Jesus
as a lay brother. His brother Antony also became a Jesuit. Fr. McElroy assumed the management of Georgetown's financial affairs. He was also ordained a priest in 1817. In 1822 he was sent to Frederick, Maryland
where he was to remain for 23 years as pastor of St. John's Catholic Church in downtown Frederick. It was in Frederick that he founded St. John's Literary Institution, a school which is currently operating under the name of Saint John's Catholic Prep (Maryland)
. During the Mexican War
, McElroy served as an Army
chaplain
, and on his return from Mexico
, he went to Boston, where he established Boston College and Boston College High School
.
There are halls at Boston College and Boston College High named after him.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1782, and came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1803. Fr. McElroy enrolled in Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1806, the same year in which he joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
as a lay brother. His brother Antony also became a Jesuit. Fr. McElroy assumed the management of Georgetown's financial affairs. He was also ordained a priest in 1817. In 1822 he was sent to Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
where he was to remain for 23 years as pastor of St. John's Catholic Church in downtown Frederick. It was in Frederick that he founded St. John's Literary Institution, a school which is currently operating under the name of Saint John's Catholic Prep (Maryland)
Saint John's Catholic Prep (Maryland)
Saint John's Catholic Prep is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Frederick, Maryland. It was scheduled to move to Buckeystown, Maryland in 2010; however, ground has not yet been broken at their new location and it will most likely be some time before the move takes place...
. During the Mexican War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
, McElroy served as an Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, and on his return from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, he went to Boston, where he established Boston College and Boston College High School
Boston College High School
Founded in 1863, Boston College High School is an all-male Jesuit Roman Catholic college preparatory secondary school with historical ties to Boston College. It has an enrollment in grades 7-12 of approximately 1,500 students and is located on a campus on Morrissey Boulevard in the Dorchester...
.
There are halls at Boston College and Boston College High named after him.