Benjamin J. Keiley (1847-1925): Confederate Soldier, Catholic Bishop

Last updated on: November 2, 2010 at 5:34 am by Pat McNamara

Benjamin J. Keiley (1847-1925): Confederate Soldier, Catholic Bishop 2010-11-02T05:34:00-06:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

During the American Civil War, two future bishops served as military chaplains, Fathers John Ireland and Lawrence McMahon. But only one bishop had actually served as a private soldier in the ranks during the war. Benjamin Joseph Keiley was born in Petersburg, Virginia, to Irish immigrants from County Cork. At age seventeen, he enlisted in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, serving with in an artillery unit during the last year of the Civil War.

After the war, Keiley was a law clerk before entering the seminary. He studied in Rome at the North American College. In 1873, he was ordained for the Wilmington Diocese. For several years he served as a pastor in Delaware. When Wilmington’s Bishop Thomas Becker was transferred to Savannah in 1886, he brought Father Keiley with him as Vicar-General (the bishop’s second-in-command) and rector of the cathedral.

In April 1900, Father Keiley succeeded Becker as Bishop of Savannah, a diocese covering the entire State of Georgia. One of the greatest challenges he faced during his tenure was a rabid anti-Catholicism. But he was, in the words of one historian, “a feisty Irishman.” In 1916, he wrote to a fellow bishop:

I am becoming quite an issue in this benighted state of Georgia. I have been publicly assailed in the Senate… denounced by a candidate for the U.S. House… accused by Mr. Watson of a great desire to murder him, and a host of little politicians have made me a campaign card. And I am really enjoying it.*

Bishop Keiley was active in Confederate veteran organizations, and a frequent speaker at memorial services. In a 1902 address, he declared that “purer patriots and better men never lived” than the Confederate solder. For him the “Lost Cause” (as Southerners called the war) was “a moral question.” In 1904, he presided at the funeral of Lieutenant General James Longstreet, who converted to Catholicism in 1877.

Bishop Keiley oversaw an extensive outreach to African-Americans. In 1906, he invited the Society of African Missions, a French order, to Savannah. In fifteen years they founded seven parishes, six parochial schools, and an order of Black nuns. But the bishop harbored the traditional prejudices of many Southern whites. He did not believe, for example, that African-Americans should be ordained priests “because they are held in such contempt by whites.” In 1905, he publicly criticized President Theodore Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington to the White House.

Poor health led to Bishop Keiley’s resignation in 1922, three years before his death. His funeral bier was draped with a Confederate flag.

*Georgia Senator Thomas E. Watson (1856-1922) was known for his racism, anti-Semitism, and an anti-Catholicism that bordered on the pathological.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 1, 2010

Quote of the Day

Next Post

November 3, 2010 Roads to Rome: Maria Longworth Storer (1849-1932)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Hebrews say we have as an anchor for the soul?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Love Hope Faith The word of God