July 8, 1953
Father Francis J. Devine
Father Devine was born on April 17, 1913 in Philadelphia, PA and was ordained a Carmelite priest on June 30, 1940. After serving for eight years at St. Mary’s Parish, Ponca City, OK; Little Flower Parish in Oklahoma City, OK; and the Carmelite Monastery, Ponca City, OK; he was granted permission to transfer to the Diocese of Wichita. As assistant pastor he was assigned to the cathedral and St. Patrick’s Parish, Chanute. In 1951 he was made pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Burns, with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Spring Branch, as a mission. A year later he became pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Florence where he remained until his death on July 8, 1953 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kansas City, MO at 40 years of age. He had been sick for only nine weeks before his death. Bishop Carroll celebrated his funeral at St. Patrick’s Parish in Chanute on July 10, 1953.