February 18, 1974

Father James Colgan

Father Colgan was born in Wichita on January 16, 1923 and attended St. Anthony and Blessed Sacrament Grade Schools and St. Mary’s Cathedral High School. Upon completing his seminary training at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, MO, he was ordained in the seminary chapel on December 21, 1946. He joined the United States Army as a chaplain on February 13, 1951 after having been an assistant at St. Theresa’s Parish in Hutchinson for almost five years. In the army he was assigned to Korea, Germany, Puerto Rico, Okinawa, and bases in the United States. He retired from the army as a Lieutenant Colonel on April 1, 1971 and became pastor of St. James Parish, Augusta until taking sick leave on December 1, 1972. Msgr. Charles Walsh, the vicar general, was principal celebrant of Fr. Colgan’s funeral Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral on February 21, 1974. Bishop Maloney, who was in Rome at the time wrote, “We shall miss Father greatly in the diocese. He served the faithful well as a dedicated priest.” (The Catholic Advance, Feb. 21, 1974) Father Colgan was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Wichita.