John Aloysius Coleman (8 September 1887 – 22 December 1947) was an Irish-born Australian bishop of the Catholic Church, who served as Bishop of Armidale.
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Early life
Coleman was born in Mount Melleray, close to the Mount Melleray Abbey. He received his primary schooling at the school attached to the abbey, then onto the seminary attached to the abbey. He was then sent to the Pontifical Urban University in Rome to further his studies. His brother became a priest for the Archdiocese of Brisbane and his sister became a Dominican nun.
Priesthood
Coleman was ordained on 22 March 1912 in Rome for the Diocese of Armidale. He came to Australia in 1913 and received his first appointment as an assistant at Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral, Armidale.
He was appointed administrator of the Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral in 1925.
Episcopate
On 31 May 1929, Coleman was appointed coadjutor bishop of Armidale. He was consecrated as bishop by Archbishop Michael Sheehan, coadjutor archbishop of Sydney, on 28 May 1922.
On 15 July 1932, he succeeded Bishop Patrick O’Connor as Bishop of Armidale, following O'Connor's death.
Death
On 22 December 1947, Coleman died at St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst. He had been in ill-health for some weeks and travelled to Brisbane for medical attention before being sent to Sydney for treatment. He was buried in Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral, Armidale.