Faith and Learning

Our Namesake

     Bishop James Mahoney was born in Saskatoon on December 7th 1927. He was the youngest of four children. He attended St. Paul's Elementary school and City Park High school. For college he attended St. Peter's in Muenster. He was later sent to attend St. Peter's seminary in London. He was given minor orders in the year 1950 and on June 7th, 1952 he was ordained to priesthood in St. Paul’s Cathedral by Bishop Klein. He then served as an assistant for nine years at St. Paul's. He later became the Pastor of Delisle where he stayed for four years. He was also an administrator in Colonsay for one year. In total, he taught as an educator for eleven years. He was a priest for about 42 years, and a bishop for about 27 years. He was the bishop of Saskatoon from 1967 until 1995. 

     At the time of his ordination, Bishop James Mahoney was the youngest member of the Canadian hierarchy. He was 39 years old at the time. Throughout his life, Bishop James Mahoney was a part of many things. While working as an educator, he became the first principal at Holy Cross High school in Saskatoon. He was a preacher at retreats, he was a lecturer, and he campaigned for separate school rights . He was involved in graduate work in sociology at the Catholic University of America which is located in Washington, D.C. 

     On December 13th, 1967 Father Mahoney was ordained a Bishop by Bishop Klein, his predecessor. The Archbishop Phillip F. Pocock, and Archbishop Michael C. O'Neill were also present at his ordination. Following his ordination he became an important guest at many various receptions, and was also the subject of interviews. In 1968, Bishop Mahoney appointed Monsignor Robinson as the Vicar General. 

     The following year, Bishop Mahoney started on an ecumenical venture where he, along with Bishop Ford and Dr. and Mrs. E. H. Baergen came together to form the New Sherbrooke Community Society. This society allowed the Sherbrooke Nursing home to remain active in the community. 

        In 1973 the clergy along with ten others from thirty-five different parishes met at Holy Cross High School to discuss establishing diocesan and parish priorities. They also discussed a document for the 1974 Synod of Bishops which was titled "The Evangelization of the Modern World." In the end it was a success because it had come from a list of needs and priorities. 
   
        In 1974 Bishop Mahoney invited the parishes to consider sharing a fund called “Inter Parish Co-responsibility", because resources that were available to parishes were uneven. His idea was to attempt providing a fund from which parishes could balance budgets. By September of that year, the diocese that had been laid out years earlier had been affected. Five pastorial regions had now been created. The five regions were: 1. Saskatoon Rural West, 2. Saskatoon Rural South, 3. Saskatoon City West, 4. Saskatoon City East, and 5. Saskatoon Rural East. 
   
        In 1979 Bishop Mahoney began active participation in a Refugee Sponsorship for the unfortunate people who had fled from South East Asia . The following year he visited the mission Uniao dos Palmares, along with Father Bernard de Margerie. When they returned to Saskatoon, Bishop Mahoney advised that the Senate of Priests stay involved and committed to the Brazilian mission at least until 1988. 

In 1981, the bishop's residence on College Drive was sold to the Cancer Society in order for it to be converted into a hostel for cancer patients that needed to receive treatment. Bishop Mahoney then moved to another residence located on Spadina Crescent. 

     Bishop James Patrick Mahoney died March 2nd, 1995 at the age of 62.