November 25, 1948
Msgr. Patrick McCullough
Msgr. McCullough was born on March 17, 1871 in Ardkill, County Derry, Ireland. His secondary education was at St. Columban’s College, Derry, Ireland, and his theological studies were at St. John’ College, Waterford, Ireland. He was ordained at the Waterford Cathedral on June 18, 1899 and his first assignment in the Diocese of Wichita was to the Pro-Cathedral for one year. In 1900 he was made pastor of Moline with Neodesha and Fall River as missions and after six years he was made pastor of Cherryvale with Fredonia as a mission. His next assignment was as first resident pastor of the new parish in Parsons, St. Mary’s, where he added a rectory, school and convent to the newly constructed church. St. Mary’s Parish, Pittsburg, was Msgr. McCullough’s final pastorate where he remained for twenty years. While there he doubled the size of the church and worked especially hard at funding and operating the parish high school. In 1923 he was appointed a Diocesan Consultor and in 1934 was made a monsignor. On February 21, 1948, with almost fifty years as a priest, he retired and became pastor emeritus of St. Mary’s Parish. He died later that year on November 25th at Mt. Carmel Hospital in Pittsburg. Bishop Carroll celebrated his funeral in St. Mary’s and burial was in Hanover, IA next to his mother and a priest-brother.