Died Rome Name Peter Kenney Religion Roman Catholic | Nationality Irish | |
Known for Founding Clongowes Wood | ||
Occupation Jesuit Priest
Educator | ||
Peter James Kenney SJ (1779–1841) was an Irish Jesuit priest. He founded Clongowes Wood College and was also rector of the Jesuits in Ireland.
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Early life
Kenney was born in Dublin on 7 July 1779. His father was a coachmaker and he received his early education in Carlow College and St. Kierans College, Kilkenny, before entering Maynooth College. His early education was sponsored by the Jesuit Rev. Thomas Betagh SJ. He entered the Society of Jesus on September 20, 1804, continuing his religious training at Stonyhurst College and Palermo, Sicily, where he was ordained in 1808 and where he also obtained his D.D. degree. He returned to Ireland in 1811 with colleagues in order to re-establish the Jesuits in Ireland.
Life as an educator
In 1813 he purchased Castle Brown and the grounds for Clongowes Wood College to provide education to the Irish Catholic gentry. It was the first school set up by the restored Jesuits society. He was also involved in the establishment of the sister school to Clongowes, Tullabeg College in County Offaly. Father Kenney had served as Vice-President of Maynooth College for a year in 1812, and was a friend of the founder of the Christian Brothers Edmund Rice whom he advised (Rice helped Kenney in purchasing Clongowes Wood) and also played a big part in the foundation of the Irish Sisters of Charity. He served as a witness in Royal Commission on Education and the House of Lords Enquiry of (1825–1826).
The United States and slavery
In 1819 he visited the Jesuit missions in Maryland in the United States, including Georgetown College. A number of years later he again was appointed Visitator of the American Mission of the Jesuits in Missouri. During his visitation in 1822 he gave an order to Jesuit Farmers to "part with slaves", Although slaves were still owned by the Jesuits up until the pope declared it immoral, Fr Kenney visited many Jesuit plantations. At one point he declined the working with the Bishop of Dublin Diocese, preferring his work as a Jesuit in education.
Later life
Kenney was one of the four founders of the Jesuit Church of St. Francis Xavier, Upper Gardiner Street, the first Catholic church erected in Dublin following the passing of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. He died in Rome on November 19, 1841.
Legacy
In St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, the Peter Kenney Prize is awarded to students of ecclesiastical history studying for BD or BTh degrees.