Father James Francis Moriarty, 91, died Feb. 8 at the Bishop Timothy J. Lyne Residence for Retired Priests in Palos Park. He was pastor emeritus of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Evanston.

Father Moriarty was born in Chicago and attended St. Theodore School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary North and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1951.

He was assistant pastor of St. Ferdinand (1951-1963); St. John the Evangelist, Streamwood (1963-1970); and St. Mary of the Woods (1988-1989). He was pastor of St. Luke Parish, River Forest (1982-1998) before being named pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Evanston in 1989. He served there until he retired in 1995.

He also was a delegate judge for the metropolitan tribunal, and in 1969 he began working with the Catholic Conference of Illinois. Father Moriarty dedicated much of his work to the development of Catholic television, as director of the Catholic Television Network of Chicago from 1973 to 1984. During this time, he was a resident of Holy Name Cathedral Parish.

Father Moriarty is survived by his brothers, Thomas, Robert and Gerald Moriarty.