Reidy, Rev Maurice
REV. MAURICE REIDY
March 23, 1937
Personal Info
- Date of Birth: 12 February 1880
- Place of Birth in Ireland: Newtown, Shandrum, Charleville
- County: Cork
- Education: St Patrick’s Seminary, Carlow
- Date of Ordination: 14 June 1903
- Place of Ordination: St Patrick Seminary, Carlow
- Ordained by: Most Rev Patrick Foley, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Ireland
Diocesan Appointments:
- Assistant – St Aloysius Pro-Cathedral, Wichita – 1904
- Pastor – Immaculate Conception, Mineral – 1904 to 1913
- Pastor – St. Rose of Lima, Great Bend – 1913 to 2/23/1928
- Pastor – Sacred Heart, Arkansas City – 2/24/1928 to 3/23/1937
In 1906, while pastor in Mineral, Father Reidy delivered a sermon in Austrian for the Austrian parishioners and their friends in recognition of commemorating their national flag. Over 400 people joined in the procession, headed by the town band. There were visitors from Chicago, Frontenac and Daisy Hill to join in the festivities.
Father Reidy was one of 11 children, when a younger brother Daniel was intent on joining his older brother as a priest, Maurice made arrangements for his brother, Daniel, to finish his priesthood studies for the Diocese of Wichita at Kenrick Seminary, near St Louis, MO.
Right Reverend John J. Hennessy, Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita, with the assistance of Father Maurice J. Reidy, laid the cornerstone of the new St Rose church that was being erected in Great Bend. Many parishioners, as well as non-Catholics of all ages came to participate in the 1915 celebration. The cost of the new church was around $30,000, most of the payment realized before the construction started.
Father Reidy, then pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic church in Arkansas City, spoke for the 1929 nurses graduating class of St Mary’s Hospital in Winfield, Kansas. His talk was on the “Profession of the Nurse” and emphasized the need for compassionate service to fellow humans from those who practice nursing with fidelity. Father challenged the class….”to be honest, true, meek and cheerful, to cultivate a pleasing personality and above all to keep the tongue.” Father Reidy reminded the graduates of their class motto of fidelity, courage and service and challenged them to live it in their nursing careers.
Sacred Heart school in Arkansas City hosted a large Mexican celebration marking the independence won from Spain on September 15, 1810. Akin to the American’s celebration of the 4th of July, this celebration included….”firecrackers, confetti and general whoopee” for local Mexicans and their friends. Between 500 and 600 people joined in the celebration and Father attended the event in addition to hosting it. The Arkansas City paper described the event in this manner, “On this day the Mexicans not only celebrate together but make up great messes of the luscious chili, and hot tamales are served like the Americans eat popcorn and peanuts.”
Father Reidy was a guest lecturer who spoke on the topic of “Parents and Religious Education of Their Children,” at the sectional educational meetings of the Catholic Action committees gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas. The Catholic Action committee is comprised of four lay members from each parish in the diocese who participate throughout the year on various phases of diocesan trainings and project work teams.
- Date of Death: 23 March 1937
- Place of Death: Arkansas City, Kansas
- Age of Death: 57
- Cause of Death: Stroke of apoplexy
- Primary Funeral Celebrant: Most Rev. Augustus J. Schwertner, Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita with Father Patrick J. O’Leary, who preached the sermon, Sacred Heart Church, Arkansas City
- Burial: Calvary Convent Cemetery (now Dominican Sisters Resurrection Cemetery), Great Bend, Barton County, Kansas