January 11, 1982

Msgr. Philip White

Msgr. White was born on February 23, 1903 in Buckhanon, WV and was a convert to Catholicism in 1920. He prepared for the priesthood at St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, IN and was ordained for the Diocese of Wichita by Bishop Schwertner at St. Mary Cathedral on May 21, 1932. As an assistant he was assigned to Our Lady of Lourdes and was first assigned as pastor to Scammon with Wier and Mineral as missions on June 30, 1937. Other pastoral assignments for Msgr. White were to El Dorado; to Strong City with Council Grove as a mission; to Frontenac with Franklin as a mission; to Coffeyville; and to Anthony. In May of 1970 he retired in Frontenac because of illness. During his fifty years as a priest he was also dean of the Coffeyville Deanery and was named a monsignor on June 7, 1965. He was “interested in all major sports and played golf regularly until he was slowed by a stroke in 1970.” (The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, Jan. 14, 1982) Msgr. White died on January 11, 1982 at 78 years of age and his funeral was held at St. Mary’s Cathedral with Bishop Maloney as principal celebrant and homilist. His interment was in Calvary Cemetery in Wichita.