Louis James O'Leary

Who was Louis James O'Leary?

Louis James O'Leary was the sixth Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown, who also happened to be the older brother of his predecessor, Bishop Henry Joseph O'Leary.

Born in Richibucto, New Brunswick, the son of Henry O'Leary and Mary O'Leary, O'Leary received his higher education from St. Joseph's College in Memramcook before going on to study at the Grand Seminary in Montreal. He later travelled to Rome, where he was ordained a priest in 1900 for the Diocese of Chatham in New Brunswick. He later received doctorates in Theology and Canon Law while in Rome.

After serving as auxiliary bishop in Chatham since 1914, O'Leary was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Charlottetown on September 10, 1920, succeeding his younger brother who had been appointed as Archbishop for the Archdiocese of Edmonton.

During his tenure as Bishop, O'Leary continued to focus on projects that had flourished under his brother. St. Dunstan's College was now a university since 1917 and during the 1920s modifications were made to the campus. Also, the Sisters of St. Martha of Prince Edward Island continued to grow and officially became a congregation in 1923.