June 19: Father James Shaughnessy


June 19, 1966

Father James Shaughnessy

Father Shaughnessy was born in Quincy, MA on November 17, 1914. He studied at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Monastery, Oklahoma City, OK; and the Collegio Internacionale di Carmelitani Scalzi, Rome, Italy. Following his ordination as a Carmelite priest on June 30, 1940, he worked in Oklahoma City, OK; Ponca City, OK; San Antonio, TX; and Dallas, TX. After serving nine years in the Army and the Air Force he came to the Diocese of Wichita on December 15, 1953 and was appointed as an assistant at the Church of the Magdalen in Wichita. As pastor he was assigned to South Mound and Erie, Winfield, and Augusta. He died on June 19, 1966 after a long illness. He was a member of the National Catholic Cemetery Conference and a former chaplain of the American Legion. Bishop Carroll celebrated his funeral Mass and Bishop Byrne preached the sermon at St. James’ Church in Augusta. Father Shaughnessy was buried in St. James’ Cemetery in Augusta, Kansas.