1923 – 1980 (February 26)
John Joseph Meagher was born in Beaumont, Texas, on December 31, 1923 to John Meagher and Louise Marie Gunkel. He became a postulant at Augustinian Academy in September, 1940, and was received into the novitiate on September 9, 1942. He professed simple vows on September 10, 1943 and solemn vows on September 10, 1946. John studied at Villanova College and Augustinian College. He was ordained to the priesthood at the National Shrine in Washington, DC, on June 6, 1950, by Bishop John McNamara.
Father Meagher’s first assignment was to Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, DC, from 1951 to 1953. He then entered the parochial apostolate, and was assigned to Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Jamaica, New York, where he served from 1953 until 1957, and again from 1962 to 1964. He was at Saint Rita Parish, Philadelphia, Pa. in 1957 and 1958, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Staten Island, N.Y. from 1958 to 1960, and at Saint Thomas Aquinas, Ojai, CA from 1956 to 1967. In 1968, Father Meagher was assigned to Saint Augustine Parish, Troy, N.Y., and in 1970 to Saint Mary’s, Lawrence, Mass.
In 1972 he was assigned to Saint Augustine Parish, Casselberry, Florida. Here, three years later he suffered a debilitating stroke which left his left side almost totally paralyzed. Nonetheless, he continued in ministry and was engaged in a variety of movements including Marriage Encounter, Cursillo, Charismatic Renewal and the Kinghts of Columbus.
A patient, humble man who knew the burden of various infirmities, he passed away in Casselberry on February 26, 19080. He was buried in the Community Cemetery at Saint Mary’s Hall, Villanova, and later transferred to the Augustinian section of Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, Pa.
