McCann, Thomas James – 1881-1973

MCCANN

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 6/23/2017 at 08:50:51

Msgr. Thomas J. McCann Dies today; Came to Newton in 1910
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Thomas James McCann, 91, of Newton, pastor emeritus of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton, died this morning at Hunter Addition of Skiff Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Bishop Gerald O’Keefe, bishop of the Davenport Diocese, will conduct the services. Burial will be in Sacred heart Catholic Cemetery.
Rosary services will be announced at a later date.
Memorial contributions in Msgr. McCann’s name to the Skiff Hospital Auxiliary scholarship fund will be accepted.
Friends may call at the Toland-Wallace Funeral Home after noon Friday.
Survivors are a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Frank, and a sister, Mayme.
The son of Peter and Jame Lynn McCann, he was born Sept. 13, 1881 in Philadelphia, Pa., and attended Philadelphia schools and college in Flemington and New Hope, N.J.
Msgr. McCann attended St. Mary’s College in Pennsylvania for 2 years, received his bachelor of arts degree from Mt. St. Mary’s in Emmetsburg, Md., and completed his studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Md.
He was ordained June 19, 1908 in the cathedral at Baltimore, Md.
He was sent to Davenport following graduation and ordination and remained there until being assigned May 14, 1910 to the Newton parish, which then consisted of Newton, Colfax, Monroe, Searsboro and Seavers.
Msgr. McCann, who was made a Domestic Prelate for Pope John XXIII in 1959, was the recipient of the 1960 Newton Community Civic Merit award and an honorary doctor of laws degree from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, the latter awarded in 1960.
He was past president of the Newton Rotary Club and had served on the board of directors of the Newton YMCA, the Salvation Army, the Jasper County Red Cross Chapter and the Girl Scouts.
Msgr. McCann was very interested in athletics. He had played semi-pro baseball during his college years and served as boxing commissioner for Jasper and neighboring counties in the 1940s, directed the Golden Gloves tournaments in Newton and was known in the area as a fight judge and referee.
Msgr. McCann made a trip to the Vatican in 1950 for a private audience with Pope Pius XXII. He also visited Rome, Naples, Athens, Greece, and other points of interest in Europe. A gift of $2000 was presented to Msgr. McCann by the people of Newton to defray travel expenses.
He was honored at a “This Is Your Life” program in 1955 at a special program held at the Maytag Park.
During his first year in Newton, Msgr. McCann also taught classes at St. John’s High School in Des Moines, and from 1928 through 1931 he held classes in English, Latin and Greek at Dowling Junior College in Des Moines, the present Dowling High School in West Des Moines.
Source: Newton Daily News; Tuesday, April 17, 1973, page 6