Cremin, Rev William
REV. WILLIAM J. CREMIN
April 21, 1974
Personal Info
- Date of Birth: 16 September 1913
- Place of Birth in Ireland: Newcastle West
- County: Limerick
- Date of Ordination: 23 May 1943
- Place of Ordination: Shillong, India for Salesian Order
- Ordained by: Bishop Stephen Ferrando
Diocesan Appointments:
- Holy Savior Parish, Wichita – 1949
- Pastor – St Michael Parish, Mulvane and St Mary’s, Derby –1949 to 1953
- Pastor – Sacred Heart Parish, Eureka – 1953 to 1960
- Pastor – St Mary Parish, Chase – 1960 to 1962
- Pastor – St James Parish, Augusta – 1962 to 1963
- Pastor – St Patrick Parish, Walnut – 1963 to 1964
- Chaplain of Mercy Hospital, Fort Scott & Administrator of St Patrick Parish, Fulton – 1964 to 1967
- Pastor – St Anthony Parish, Strong City – 1967 to 1971
Following his ordination, Father Cremin served at St Anthony High School, Shillong, India; Our Lady of Bandel Shrine, Bandel, Bengal; The Catholic Mission, Krishnagar City, Bengal, and Salesian College, Farnborough, Kent, England but, because of his poor health, was advised to move to a western climate in the United Sates to better accommodate his health limitations. So, he found a new pastoral home within the Wichita diocese in 1949.
In 1964, the Parsons Sun newspaper reported that Fr. Cremin had returned to St Patrick’s Parish after spending the past few months on sick leave during which he visited his mother and other relatives in County Limerick, Ireland. While overseas he made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France and on the way home stopped off near New York City to visit his three brothers and their families.
Father Cremin, while chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott, cooked a special curry and rice meal for the opening session of a Baptist School of Missions. The menu was planned to complement a mission study which was focusing on India. Father Cremin spent nearly a decade in India before joining the Diocese of Wichita. Father stated that this simple meal, while tasty, will remind others of those who have little to eat and often go to bed hungry.
Reaching out to all people in Mulvane who would like to learn more about Catholic doctrine was offered to both Catholics and non-Catholics by Father Cremin. He held these informal gatherings every Wednesday night at St Michael’s rectory. In submitting the invitation through the Catholic Advance, he shared that no obligation would be incurred for attendance and that everyone would be free to come and go as they’d like.
Father Cremin announced that St Mary’s parish in Derby, Kansas will open a school in September 1974 as Derby is just a few miles down the road from Boeing, one of the city’s large aircraft plants. The City of Derby is planning a housing development of approximately 400 houses near the proposed neighborhood and school site. Bishop Mark K. Carroll has consulted with the religious communities in the diocese and they are interested in providing teachers.
- Date of Death: 21 April 1974
- Place of Death: Fort Scott, Kansas
- Age of Death: 60
- Funeral Celebrant: Bishop David Maloney at Mary Queen of Angels Parish, Fort Scott, Kansas
- Burial: St Patrick Cemetery in Fulton, KS