Our Pastors - Past & Present

 

FATHER BERNARD KEATING, O.S.B.
Born in Scanton, Pennsylvania
May 4, 1869
1910-1922

Father Keating studied and became a member of what is now the St. Joseph Abbey in Covington, Louisiana, ordained a priest on December 4, 1902. Worked mostly in parish work. He was a Benedictine priest who visited Seneca and Ozona from Covington. In 1913-14 he visited Picayune and wrote to Bishop Quinn asking him to come to Picayune for confirmation. Died suddenly of a heart attack on October 2, 1939, at the St. Joseph Abbey.

 

 

MSGR JOSEPH SCHERMESSER
Born in Clermont, France
August 31, 1855
1922-1950

Msgr Schermesser was ordained on July 19, 1909, at Lyons, France. He was appointed to Seneca and Missions, one of them being Ozona and later Picayune, in 1922 and served there until his death on January 12, 1963. He was buried at Seneca.

 

 

FATHER DANIEL JOSEPH O'HANLON
Born in Kerry, Ireland
July 2, 1897
1950-1951

Father O'Hanlon studied at Kenrick Seminary for the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, and was ordained on June 10, 1923. He came to the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson in 1940 and served until June 1, 1951, when he resigned for health reasons. He later served in Biloxi, Mississippi, and died on January 20, 1969.

 

 

FATHER JOHN NIEMEYER
Born in Breese, Illinois
June 14, 1910
1951-1957

Father Niemeyer studied at Notre Dame, New Orleans, Louisiana, and was ordained June 7, 1941. After assignments in Natchez, Bay Saint Louis, Greenville, Hattiesburg, and Cleveland, he was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from June 15, 1951, until January 23, 1957. He subsequently was pastor in Shelly, Greanda, Natchez and Woodville from which he retired on June 15, 1975.

 

 

FATHER CLETUS JOSEPH MANON
Born in Union City, New Jersey
September 20, 1894
1957-1959

Father Manon studied at St. Michael's Monastery, Union City, New Jersey and was ordained on June 14, 1919, for the Passionist Congregation. He came to the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson in 1939 and served in Water Valley, Oxford, and Leland. He was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from January 23, 1957, until May 27, 1959, when he died at Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans.

 

 

FATHER PATRICK O'DONNELL
Born in Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland
March 5, 1902
1959-1962

Father O'Donnell studied at St. Patrick's Seminary, Carlow, Ireland, and was ordained on June 13, 1926. He served in Pascagoula, Vicksburg, Natchez, Greenville, Trenton Diocese, Chatawa, Woodville, and was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from July 1, 1959, until September 8, 1962, when he resigned on account of ill health. He died in Sussex, England, on January 6, 1970.

 

 

FATHER CANISIUS HAYES, M.S.S.S.T
Born in Buffalo, New York
September 19, 1919
1962-1963

Father Hayes studied at Catholic University, Washington, and was ordained for the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity on June 11, 1946. After an assignment in Pearlington, he was appointed Temporary Administrator of St. Charles Borromeo from September 8, 1962, until February 1, 1963. He served afterward in Philadelphia, Mississippi, Kiln, Clermont Harbor and Pearlington.

 

 

MSGR. FRANCIS QUINN
Born in Ballaghlea, Co. Galway, Ireland
March 18, 1905
1963-1970

Father Quinn attended St. Patrick's Seminary, Co. Carlow, Ireland, and was ordained on June 14, 1931. He received appointments to Bay St. Louis and Biloxi. From 1941 until 1944 he was the Diocesan Youth Director. From 1943 until 1946, he was Diocesan Director of the Propagation of the Faith Society and was assigned to Leland and Jackson. In 1954, he was appointed a Domestic Prelate. From February 1, 1963, until September 1, 1970, he was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo. He retired and died in Ireland on October 22, 1990.

 

 

FATHER FRANCIS S. MIGNOT
Born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
June 28, 1920
1963-1967 (assistant)

After studying at the Pontifical College Josephinium, Worthington, Ohio, Father Mignot was ordained on March 10, 1946. Following appointments in Jackson and Vicksburg, he was assigned to St. Charles Borromeo in 1963 and was appointed assistant from May 18, 1966, until June 1, 1967. He was assigned to Woodville and later to Biloxi.

 

 

FATHER THOMAS TUITE
Born in Athboy, Co. Meath, Ireland
November 29, 1919
1970-1972

Father Tuite attended St. Patrick's Seminary, Carlow, Ireland, and was ordained June 1, 1947. After appointments in Biloxi, Natchez, Lizana, Waveland and Vicksburg, he was pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from September 1, 1970, until August 29, 1972. He received appointments to Columbus and Natchez when he died on March 10, 1983.

 

 

FATHER JAMES O'RIORDAN
Born in Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland
July 18, 1940
1972-1973

Father O'Riordan attended St. Patrick's Seminary, Carlow, Ireland, and was ordained June 6, 1964. After appointments in Bay St. Louis, Laurel, and Natchez, he was sent to St. Charles Borromeo first as a substitute from March 24, 1972, and then as Administrator from August 29, 1972, until January 15, 1973. From Picayune, he went to Shaw and Columbus.

 

 

FATHER MORGAN KAVANAGH
Born in Ballyroughan, Borris, Co. Carlow, Ireland
July 16, 1931
1973-1974

Father Kavanagh's place of Ecclesiastical study was St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland. He was ordained on June 5, 1955, for the Diocese of Natchez. He served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from January 15, 1973, until January 15, 1974. He later retired on January 1, 1993. Fr. Kavanagh died on August 6, 1998, in Ireland.

 

 

FATHER SYLVESTER HYNES
Born in Newbridge, Ballinasloe, Co. Carlow, Ireland
December 16, 1912
1974-1979

Father Hynes's place of Ecclesiastical study was St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland. He was ordained June 18, 1944, at St. Patrick's for the Diocese of Elphin, Ireland. He served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from January 15, 1974, until he retired on December 20, 1979. He died on April 29, 1994.

 

 

FATHER PATRICK TIERNEY
Born in Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
April 23, 1935
1980

Father Tierney's place of Ecclesiastical study was St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland. He was ordained June 7, 1958, at St. Patrick's College for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. He served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in 1980. He died on January 9, 1991.

 

FATHER MICHAEL LEANE
Born in Listowel, Ireland
September 30, 1939
1980-1987

Father Leane's place of Ecclesiastical study was St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland. He was ordained June 6, 1964, at St. Patrick's College for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. He was appointed Defenser of the Bond on May 8, 1980, and was appointed as a Diocesan Judge for cases of and kind presented before the Tribunal on June 23, 1983. He served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from April 11, 1980, until his death of cancer on November 23, 1987.

 

 

FATHER NICHOLAS FILIPICH
Born in Biloxi, Mississippi
January 6, 1927
1985-1988 (assistant)

Father Filipich's place of Ecclesiastical studies was St. Joseph's Seminary, St. Benedict, Louisiana, and Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans. He was ordained June 6, 1953, at St. Micheal's Church in Biloxi. He served as associate pastor of St. Charles Borromeo until January 1988. He later retired on February 29, 1992.

 

 

MONSIGNOR JAMES P. McGOUGH
Born in County Limerick, Ireland
July 24, 1933
1988-1990

Monsignor McGough studied at Mungert College, Limerick, and St. Bernard Major Seminary, St. Bernard, Alabama. He was ordained on May 25, 1957. He was an assistant at Nativity Parish, Biloxi, for one year. In 1958, he went to study Canon Law at Catholic University of America from where he received his Doctorate in Canon Law. He was Chancellor and Officialis for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson from 1962-1966. He was then appointed Vicar General. In 1971, he was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart, Hattiesburg, from 1977-1979 he was Chancellor and Officialis for the new Diocese of Biloxi, and Vicar General in 1979. He was pastor of St. Paul's, Pass Christian, from 1978-1985, pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf, Bay St. Louis, from 1985 to 1988. He served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from 1988 to 1990 and then pastor of St. James, Gulfport, MS.

 

 

FATHER JOHN NOONE
Born in County Roscommon, Ireland
December 29, 1941
1990-2002

Father Noone studied at St. Patrick's Seminary, Carlow, Ireland. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1967. He was an assistant at Our Lady of the Gulf Church, Bay St. Louis, from September 1, 1967, until March 17, 1970, when he was appointed Associate Director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. He received the degree of Master of Social Work in 1971 from Tulane University, New Orleans. From 1972-1977, he was Director of Catholic Social Services Gulfport. He was Director of Catholic Social Services and Family Life Ministry for the Diocese of Biloxi from 1977-1982. After a spiritual year at the Religious Studies Department of Gonzaza University, Spokane, Washington, he was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Columbia, St. Paul's, Tylerton and St. Mary's Sylvest. He was appointed pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in 1990. On February 1, 2002, after 12 years of pastoring to St. Charles Borromeo, Father Noone was reassigned to a parish in nearby Kiln, Mississippi.

 

 

FATHER MICHAEL E. SNYDER
Born in Biloxi, MS
August 26, 1953
2002-2014

Father Michael obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Business and worked in many different fields over a number of years before deciding to become a Priest. He was ordained on June 7, 1997, on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. His first assignment was Associate at Nativity BVM Cathedral. His next assignments were at St. John and St. Louis, where he served as Pastor, before coming to St. Charles Borromeo in Picayune on February 2, 2002.

 

 

FATHER TRUONG TRINH
Born in SaiGon, Vietnam
November 23, 1965
2014-2018

Father Trinh studied at different universities in the City of SaiGon, Vietnam, before arriving in the U.S. He received his B.A. at the Divine Word College, IA, and his Master's at Notre Dame Seminary, LA. Father Trinh was ordained into the priesthood for the Diocese of Biloxi on June 12, 1999. He was appointed as a member of the Presbyteral (Priest) Council on February 9, 2001, by Bishops Howze, Rodi and Morin. Father Trinh was appointed to nine parishes prior to his arrival at St. Charles Borromeo in Picayune on January 15, 2014.

 

 

FATHER BERNARD J. PAPANIA
June 2018-Present