James Colaianni, American lay theologian, Died at 94

James F. Colaianni was born on August 6, 1922, in Paterson, New Jersey and died on October 5, 2016.

He was an American Catholic lay theologian, author, publisher, lawyer, and activist.

He graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in Paterson, NJ in 1939.

James attended Seton Hall University.

He served in the US Army during World War II in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany, attaining the rank of Technical Sergeant.

After his Honorable Discharge, his subsequent anti-war convictions began to emerge.

During 1950, he married Patricia Kelly Colaianni, who serves as a senior editor of his publishing company, Sunday Sermons.

The couple are the parents of Karen (Colaianni) Johnson, founder/director, KJPR Publicity and Artist Relations, Janice Sosebee, former radio newscaster/ now federal disaster relief worker, Pamela Colaianni (deceased), James F. Colaianni, Jr., publisher/author, Louis Colaianni, author/voice coach, and John Colianni, jazz pianist.

He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1948, after attending John Marshall School of Law. While in law school, he coached high school basketball and won a State Championship.

During that same period, James produced a series of widely publicized debates between William F. Buckley Jr. of National Review, and William Clancy of the liberal Catholic magazine, Commonweal.

James earned his master’s degree in Theology from the Institute of Lay Theology (ILT), based at the University of San Francisco, in 1963.

Whilst a member of the ILT, he served as Adult Religious Education Director from 1963 to 1965 at our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic parish in Redwood City, California.

James died at his home in Galloway, New Jersey.

James Colaianni passed away at 94 years old.