Background
Navagh, James Johnston was born on April 4, 1901 in Buffalo. Son of George T. and Katherine G. (Horne) Navagh.
Navagh, James Johnston was born on April 4, 1901 in Buffalo. Son of George T. and Katherine G. (Horne) Navagh.
Bachelor of Arts, Canisius College, 1926. Master of Arts, Niagara University, 1929. Doctor of Laws, Saint John's University, 1953.
He served as Bishop of Ogdensburg, New York (1957-1963) and Bishop of Paterson, New Jersey (1963-1965). He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Canisius College, and a Master of Arts from Niagara University. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 21, 1929.
He served as a curate at Holy Cross Church in Buffalo until 1937, when he became pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Brant.
He was named the first director of the Missionary Apostolate of the Diocese of Buffalo in 1939, and served as pastor of Saint Joseph"s Church in Fredonia from 1940 to 1942. On July 29, 1952, Navagh was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Titular Bishop of Ombi by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 24 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops Raymond Augustine Kearney and James H. Griffiths serving as co-consecrators.
Returning to his native New York, he was named the seventh Bishop of Ogdensburg on May 8, 1957. After five years in Ogdensburg, he was appointed to succeed James A. McNulty as the fourth Bishop of Paterson, New Jersey on February 12, 1963.
Navagh died from a heart attack in Rome while attending the Second Vatican Council, aged 64.