Brother James Kearney, F.M.S.

Brother James Kearney, F.M.S., who served as superintendent of schools in the archdiocese for 12 years during a long and distinguished career as an educator, died May 14 at Champagnat Hall, the Marist Brothers residence in the Bronx. He was 83.

He served as superintendent of schools from 1977 to 1989, capping a 19-year career in archdiocesan admininistration that also featured service as deputy superintendent and associate superintendent.

When Brother Kearney retired as schools superintendent, Cardinal John O’Connor, then Archbishop of New York, said, “No one could have served the Archdiocese of New York more faithfully or competently as superintendent of schools than Brother James Kearney. I cannot adequately express my gratitude for his dedication and his professionalism.”

Cardinal Egan, who served as vicar for education during part of Brother Kearney’s tenure as superintendent, recalled him as “an exemplary religious and a master educator who knew our schools, our teachers and our students thoroughly and worked with them with great competence and enthusiasm.”

The cardinal told CNY he had written to the leadership of the Marist Brothers “to tell them of my esteem for Brother Kearney and to assure them that he has a very special place in my Masses and prayers.”

From 1989 to 1992 Brother Kearney was a visiting professor of education at Marist College in Poughkeepsie. From 2006 until his death, he served as a member of the college’s board of trustees.

While serving as a Marist professor, Brother Kearney told a group of educators at a conference sponsored by the college that “the biggest failing in higher education today is that we fall short in exposing students to values.”

“We don’t provide a value framework to young people who, more and more, are searching for it,” he said.

He began his education ministry at Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx where he was a teacher, 1952-1959, and then served as dean of students, 1959-1963. He returned to Mount St. Michael to serve as principal, 1992-1998.

Brother Kearney served as principal of St. Agnes High School in Manhattan, 1963-1970. He was the director of professional development there, 1998-2006.

A native of Queens, he entered the Marist Brothers of the Schools in 1948 and professed final vows in 1955.

He received his bachelor’s degree in English from Marist College, a master’s in American literature from St. John’s University and a master’s in school administration from Columbia University.

He was granted honorary doctorates from Iona College and Marymount College.

He served as president of the board of trustees and as a trustee of the Lavalle School for the Blind in the Bronx. He also served on a number of other religious, educational and philanthropic boards.

Brother Kearney is survived by two brothers, William and Michael.

A Funeral Mass was offered May 17 at Holy Trinity Church in Manhattan. Burial was in the Marist Brothers’ Cemetery in Esopus.