Rev. James Preston Holloway III

James Preston Holloway III, a third-generation Washingtonian, grew up not far from the Capitol building. He graduated from Holy Name Grade School and Gonzaga Jesuit High School. He received his BA in Philosophy from St. Charles College, Baltimore, and St. Mary’s College, Kentucky, and his Master of Divinity from St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, PA.

All through his college years he was active in civil rights, working in poor neighborhoods in DC during the 60’s for the Urban League, DC Neighborhood Youth Corps, Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, and for three years at St. George’s Episcopal Church, where he coordinated summer enrichment programs for youth and teens of the area during the DC racial riots of 1968.

In 1970, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington, where he served for many years as parish priest at seven Catholic parishes in Washington, as well as a parish in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

Starting from a young age, Father Jim had an avid interest in music. In his 4th grade, he became the parish organist at his local Catholic church where he would strain to reach the organ pedal keyboard. During summers of his college years, his Sundays saw him playing the organ for Sunday services at DC’s correctional facilities for juvenile offenders. His love for music continued to beckon him 50 years ago to Woodstock in up-state New York for the famous concert of August 1969.

During his priesthood in Washington, DC, when he wasn’t celebrating Mass as a parish priest, he enjoyed playing organ and synthesizer for congregational singing and Gospel choirs, sometimes trying to be both musician and priest if circumstances permitted.

Father Jim’s retirement led him to the Golden Isles, but some of his recent years have been spent as a mental health tech and as chaplain at St. Simons By-the-Sea psychiatric unit. For a brief time while at St. Simons-by-the-Sea, he was regional representative for the Jason Foundation, a non-profit suicide prevention program taught to teachers, counselors, and coaches in the school system that addressed the problem of teen suicidology.

On many weekends for the past 19 years, Father Jim enjoyed the opportunities to help out as a substituting priest at weekend services at Catholic Churches in St. Simons, Brunswick, Darien, St. Mary’s, Folkston and Jesup.

Father admits that his only claims to fame are two: 1) He personally met Mother Theresa of Calcutta in 1963 at Pitt University in Pittsburgh, and 2) Just as importantly to him, he probably met you. He met thousands of people (young and old) throughout his 54 years of priesthood; people who gave him the privilege of sharing with him their most significant moments. His most cherished pastime with them was to hear their Confession.

Father’s other cherished pastimes must also be added: He found moments of peace and solace from a modest room he rented in the pier Village, atop a liquor store and sandwiched between two bars. From his window, he could catch the merriment and mayhem that the Village is sometimes known to display. Other pastimes included playing Sudoku with a pen without cheating, listening to Greta Van Fleet, as well as mostly classical and minimalist music, endlessly trying to pop a wheelie on his bike, disguising himself as a rabbit each Easter, picking up fallen “peeps”, and his ever-so-generously offering of his Combos snacks to unsuspecting newcomers and visitors to the Village. (What resembled the Combo snacks were really dog treats).

Father Jim is predeceased by his tolerant and saintly parents, James and Helen Holloway, an older brother, Robert Holloway, and a sister, Joan Wise. He is survived by two sisters: Claire Behrmann of Gainesville, VA, and Helen Alscher Davitte of St. Simons Island. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews who inspired him as he watched them grow. Finally, he is survived by a “Heavenly host” of friends and former parishioners (both living and deceased), who at first were puzzled by Father’s shenanigans, but who stayed long enough to be disarmed by his harmless antics.

The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St William’s Catholic Church, 2300 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 10:00 am. Mass will conclude with the inurnment of cremains at the parish columbarium. Joyful reception will follow at St. William’s parish hall.