Sherlock, Rev. John P
REV. JOHN P. SHERLOCK
Retired
Personal Data
- Date of Birth: 30 March 1945
- Place of Birth in Ireland: Navan
- County: Meath
- Education: Legionaires College, Dublin; Legionaires, Salamanca, Spain; Angelicum, Rome; and Post-graduate – Southern Connecticut State College, New Haven, CT
- Date of Ordination: 26 November 1969
- Place of Ordination: Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Rome, as a Legionnaire of Christ
- Ordained by: Cardinal Ildebrando Antoniutti
Diocesan Appointments
- Incardinated to the Diocese of Wichita – 1981
- Assistant – Blessed Sacrament, Wichita – 1981 to 1983
- Chaplain – Kansas Newman College – 8/4/1983 to 6/16/1987
- Chancery – Director of Cursillo, Wichita – 7/1/1985
- Religion Teacher – Kapaun-Mt Carmel High School with residence at – St Thomas Aquinas, Wichita – 6/17/1987 to 8/4/2000
- Chaplain, Head of Religion Department, continuance as teacher – Kapaun-Mt Carmel high School, Wichita – 7/9/1991 to 8/4/2000
- Chancery – General Synodal Secretary, Wichita – 4/18/2000
- Pastor – Sacred Heart, Colwich – 8/5/2000 to 6/30/2002
- Rector – Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Wichita – 7/1/2002 to 6/30/2015
- Chaplain – Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility, Wichita – 7/1/2002
- Chancery – Diocesan Presbyteral Council, Wichita – 7/1/2005
- Assistant Chaplain – Legatus Wichita Chapter – 2013
Father John Sherlock entered the novitiate of the Legionaires of Christ in Dublin in 1962, and made his first profession in 1964. In that same year he entered the Legionaires’ college in Salamanca, Spain, for the study of Humanities. Subsequently, he studied at the Angelicum in Rome and earned Bachelor degrees in both philosophy and theology.
Under the Legionaires direction, Father Sherlock obtained a Master Degree in Educational Administration from Southern Connecticut State College in New Haven, CT to prepare him for work at the Anahuac University in Mexico City. In 1972, he was appointed dean of academic affairs at Anahuac University in Mexico City.
At the end of 1973, Father Sherlock was sent to take charge of youth groups in Washington, DC.
In 1975, he returned to Mexico to be a director of adult groups of apostolate in the Saltillo, Torreon and Piedras Negras area of the State of Coahulla. His primary responsibilities included giving spiritual direction, moral guidance, retreats, consultations for local schools and working in the mission field in Quintana Roo. Due to his ministry, Father became fluent in Spanish and Italian.
In 1979, Father Sherlock was sent to Conegliano, Italy, to be a vocational recruiter and then on to Madrid, Spain to become a director for local youth groups. After two years of working with youth he transferred to Ireland and on to the Diocese of Wichita in response to the Bishop’s call for the need of additional priests.
Father Sherlock held frequent retreats for priests, consecrated religious, seminarians, secular groups and college students.
Father Sherlock celebrated his 50 years of priesthood at the Chrism Mass on 16 April 2019 held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita. His two sisters and brother-in-law came from Ireland to help him celebrate. Father officially retired on 1 July 2015 but remains active as the assistant chaplain for the Wichita Legatus Chapter and for temporary assignments when needed
Father Sherlock was instrumental as an advisor in getting the Irish Missionary Priest Celtic Cross Memorial planned and dedicated in the garden area of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita, Kansas.