James Edward Walsh, MM (April 30, 1891 – July 29, 1981)[2] was an American Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Kongmoon from 1927 to 1936.

After graduating at age 19 from Mount St. Mary's College, he worked as a timekeeper in a steel mill for two years until he became aware of Maryknoll, a new American order.

[citation needed] Walsh's early years in China were chaotic, and included being captured by bandits and caught in bloody local conflicts.

[5] At the age of thirty-six, on 22 May 1927 he was consecrated Maryknoll's first bishop and served the Diocese of Kongmoon (now known as Jiangmen) in China.

[3] When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seized power in 1949 they began harassing Catholic clergymen.

[7] Bishop James E. Walsh returned to the United States and died at the age of ninety on July 29, 1981, in Maryknoll, New York, from a heart ailment.

[2] Bishop Walsh Primary School [zh] in Hong Kong, founded 1963, was named to commemorate his missionary achievements.