Edward B. Rooney, SJ papers

Collection

Identifier: JA-2015-003

Staff Only

Dates

Creation: 1928 - 1976
Creation: Majority of material found within 1966 - 1975

Scope and Contents

Materials documenting Edward Rooney’s work representing American Jesuit and Catholic educational organizations to international educational organizations, principally from after his role as president of the Jesuit Education Association in 1966 until his death in 1976. Includes his work with the Office International de l'Enseignement Catholique (OEIC)/Catholic International Education Office; the Inter-American Confederation of Catholic Education (Confederación Interamericana de Educación Católica (CIEC), which organized the Inter-American Congress on Catholic Education); the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA); Fédération Internationale des Universités Catholiques (FIUC)/International Federation of Catholic Universities; Jesuit Missions, Inc; the National Council of the Churches of Christ (NCCC); the United Nations (UN) and sub-committees, particularly UNESCO, UNICEF, and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); and the United States Catholic Conference (USCC). Formats include correspondence, financials, printed matter (brochures, newletters, pamphlets), and reports from Jesuit and Catholic institutions, as well as Rooney’s travel diaries and short writings.

Creator

Rooney, Edward B. (1900-1976) (Person)

Restrictions on access

Collection is open for research.

Restrictions on use

These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.

Biographical Note

Edward Bernard Rooney was born in Buffalo, New York on July 21, 1900, to James and Ellen Carmody Rooney. He attended Holy Family Parochial School and Canisius High School in Buffalo, graduating in 1918 and immediately entering the Jesuit order at Woodstock-on-Hudson in Yonkers, NY. Rooney attended Woodstock College (1922-1925), earning a BA (1924) and Master's in philosophy (1925). He began his professional career as an instructor of Classics at Regis High School, where he taught from 1925-1928. Rooney pursued a PhD in Gregorian Theology at St. Jean Berchmans Theological College in Louvain, Belgium (1928) and completed it at the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy (1932). During his doctoral studies, he was ordained to the priesthood at Milltown Park in Dublin, Ireland (1931).

After the completion of his PhD and ordination, Rooney returned to the United States to begin his tertianship at St. Andrews-on-Hudson in Poughkeepsie, NY. From 1933-1935 he served as Professor of Ethics at St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before joining the newly-formed Jesuit Educational Association (JEA), where worked for nearly thirty years, moving from the Middle Division in 1936 to regional director before becoming president of the association in 1937.

Rooney was also the liaison for the JEA to the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). In the 1950s, he served both bodies as a delegate to international education congresses, including the Inter-American Confederation of Catholic Education (Confederación Interamericana de Educación Católica (CIEC)), the International Association of Universities, and the Catholic International Education Office (Office International de l'Enseignement Catholique (OIEC)). In 1962, Rooney began representing the OIEC as an observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and he was elected to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Inter-American Education Association.

After retiring from the JEA in 1966, Rooney expanded his international Catholic education work. He served as Educational Representative for Jesuit Missions, Inc. (1966-1969) and Vice President of the Inter-American Education Association. He also collaborated with the Fédération Internationale des Universités Catholiques (FIUC) on a study of Catholic higher education. From 1969, he was Overseas Education Consultant for the Jesuit Provincials of the American Assistancy and Specialist for International Education, NCEA. Rooney continued to serve as the OIEC permanent representative to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, which allowed him to attend meetings of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). This role also made him part of the Council of NGOs, the International Catholic Organization (ICO) Lounge, and gave him access to the United States Catholic Conference’s Office for UN Affairs and the United States Mission to the UN’s briefings.

Rooney received honorary degrees from Marquette University (1951), Fairfield University (1951), Mount St. Mary’s College (1958), Xavier University (1958), and Loyola University (1962).

Edward B. Rooney died on July 30, 1976.

Sources:

Biographical data, Box 2, Folder 32, Edward B. Rooney, SJ papers, JA.2015.003, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Conference of Major Superiors, Box 11, Folder 14, Edward B. Rooney, SJ papers, JA.2015.003, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

OIEC Council Meeting, Rome, Box 9, Folder 1, Edward B. Rooney, SJ papers, JA.2015.003, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Extent

27.75 Linear Feet (26 containers)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Papers documenting twentieth-century American Jesuit educational specialist Edward B. Rooney, SJ through correspondence and working documents from his work as an overseas educational consultant for organizations including Jesuit Missions, Inc., the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), Office International de l'Enseignement Catholic (OIEC), and the Fédération Internationale des Universités Catholiques (FIUC), including as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) representative to the United Nations. While most papers were created subsequent to his retirement from the Jesuit Educational Association in 1966, the papers also include Rooney's addresses, articles, and travel diaries from throughout his life.

Arrangement

Arranged in six series: I. Articles and speeches; II. Biographical; III. Correspondence; IV. Diaries; V. Organizations Rooney worked for or represented; and VI. Reference.

Series IV. Diaries is further divided into four subseries: A. Doctoral studies; B. Engagements; C. Mass intentions; and D. Travel.

Series V. Organizations Rooney worked for or represented includes: A. Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs and War Relief Services; B. Confederación Interamericana de Educación Católica (CIEC)/Inter-American Confederation of Catholic Education; C. Fédération Internationale des Universités Catholiques (FIUC)/International Federation of Catholic Universities; D. The Holy See; E. Inter-American Education Association (IAEA); F. Jesuit Educational Association/Jesuit Secondary Education Association; G. Jesuit Missions, Inc.; H. National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA); I. National Council of the Churches of Christ (NCC) Division of Overseas Ministries; J. Office International de l'Enseignement Catholique (OEIC)/Catholic International Education Office; K. Society of Jesus; L. United Nations; and M. United States Catholic Conference (USCC).

Series VI. Reference files is further divided into five subseries: A. Government aid to education by country; B. Mission countries information; C. Newsletters; D. Organizations; and E. Topical.

Provenance

Gift of Edward B. Rooney, SJ in 1976.

Related Materials

Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators records, JA.1995.001, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Jesuit Educational Association records, JA.2015.001, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Robert P. Neenan, SJ papers on Jesuit Secondary School Education, BC.2024.052, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Processing Information

A portion of these materials were previously described in the Jesuit Educational Association Records (JA.2015.001) as the Records of the President. While Rooney was indeed president, these files document his work with other organizations and were kept separately by Rooney after he stepped down as president of the JEA in 1966. He left his JEA records at the central office at his departure, and they are still part of those records today (Jesuit Educational Association records, JA.2015.001).

The materials as received were fairly well-ordered, with tabs indicating groupings. These groupings, with their original names, were largely maintained during processing as the series or subseries. The existence of a tabbed group also helped inform which organizations Rooney represented or served on, versus simply kept reference files on, as a tab was generally an indication of service (confirmed by the materials themselves or his work history).