John R. McGann

John Raymond McGann (December 2, 1924—January 29, 2002) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Rockville Centre from 1976 to 2000.

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Early life and education

John McGann was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Thomas and Mary (née Ryan) McGann.[1] He received his early education at the parochial school of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, graduating in 1938.[2] He then began his studies for the priesthood at Cathedral College in Brooklyn, and afterwards attended Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington from 1944 to 1950.[3]

Priesthood

On June 3, 1950, McGann was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy.[4] His first assignment was as a curate at St. Anne's Church in Brentwood, where he served for seven years.[1] He also served as an assistant chaplain at Pilgrim State Hospital and a professor at St. Joseph's Academy, both in Brentwood (1950-54).[3]

In 1957, McGann was named assistant personal secretary to Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg and assistant chancellor of the newly-erected Diocese of Rockville Centre.[2] He became personal secretary to Bishop Kellenberg in 1959, and was named a papal chamberlain by Pope John XXIII that same year.[1] In addition to his pastoral work at St. Agnes Cathedral, he was made vice-chancellor of the diocese in 1967 and served as secretary of the diocesan board of consultors.[2]

Episcopacy

On November 12, 1970, McGann was appointed auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre and titular bishop of Morosbisdus by Pope Paul VI.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on January 7, 1971 from Bishop Kellenberg, with Bishops Vincent John Baldwin and Charles Richard Mulrooney serving as co-consecrators.[4] He was elected treasurer of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1984.[3]

Later life and death

After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, McGann resigned as Bishop of Rockville Centre on January 4, 2000.[4] He was succeeded by Bishop James T. McHugh, who had served as his coadjutor bishop since 1999.[4] McGann died at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, at age 77.[3]

Preceded by
Walter P. Kellenberg		 Bishop of Rockville Centre (N.Y.)
1976–2000		 Succeeded by
James T. McHugh

References

  1. ^ a b c Curtis, Georgina Pell (1977). The American Catholic Who's Who. XXI. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig. 
  2. ^ a b c "Bishop McGann's Biography". Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre. http://www.drvc.org/bishops-history/bishop-mcganns-biography.html. 
  3. ^ a b c d Kelley, Tina (2002-01-31). "Bishop John McGann, 77, Dies on Long Island". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/31/nyregion/bishop-john-mcgann-77-dies-on-long-island.html. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "Bishop John Raymond McGann". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmcgann.html.