Father John Coghlan, the first pastor of St. Jude's Parish in Ceres, died Sept. 25 after a long illness. He was 90.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated Monday at St. Peter's Church in San Francisco. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
A memorial Mass will be offered for Fr. Coghlan at St. Jude's Church in Ceres at a later date.
Born January 23, 1919, Father Coghlan was ordained to the priesthood in 1944. He served at parishes in San Francisco, Alameda, Millbrae, Oakland, San Jose and Hughson for 17 years before being assigned to the newly established St. Jude's Parish on Central Avenue in 1962.
Fr. Coghlan led the parish in the building of a large hall/education center in 1968 at the church's current location on Mitchell Road in Ceres. In 1981 the existing church was completed and dedicated. He maintained solid dogmatic orthodoxy in the turbulent years after the close of the Second Vatican Council.
After 26 years of dedicated service and pastoral care, he retired in 1988 and went to live in his family home in San Francisco. There he continued assisting at parishes, the final one being at Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara. His last visit to St. Jude's was in 2004 on the occasion of a parish celebration of the 60th anniversary of his ordination.
He leaves behind by his cousins Campbells, Griffins, and Sullivans of the bay area and Nora O'Hare of Oakland, as well as the Emersons of England and the Nyhans and McMahons of Ireland. Father Coghlan was preceded in death by his parents John and Mary Coghlan, and his brother James Coghlan who was killed in a submarine in 1944.
Remembrances may be sent to New Bethany Residential Care Community, 1441 Berkeley Drive, Los Banos, CA 93635; or to St. Jude Catholic Church, Ceres, CA or the Priest Retirement Fund for the Diocese of Stockton.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated Monday at St. Peter's Church in San Francisco. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
A memorial Mass will be offered for Fr. Coghlan at St. Jude's Church in Ceres at a later date.
Born January 23, 1919, Father Coghlan was ordained to the priesthood in 1944. He served at parishes in San Francisco, Alameda, Millbrae, Oakland, San Jose and Hughson for 17 years before being assigned to the newly established St. Jude's Parish on Central Avenue in 1962.
Fr. Coghlan led the parish in the building of a large hall/education center in 1968 at the church's current location on Mitchell Road in Ceres. In 1981 the existing church was completed and dedicated. He maintained solid dogmatic orthodoxy in the turbulent years after the close of the Second Vatican Council.
After 26 years of dedicated service and pastoral care, he retired in 1988 and went to live in his family home in San Francisco. There he continued assisting at parishes, the final one being at Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara. His last visit to St. Jude's was in 2004 on the occasion of a parish celebration of the 60th anniversary of his ordination.
He leaves behind by his cousins Campbells, Griffins, and Sullivans of the bay area and Nora O'Hare of Oakland, as well as the Emersons of England and the Nyhans and McMahons of Ireland. Father Coghlan was preceded in death by his parents John and Mary Coghlan, and his brother James Coghlan who was killed in a submarine in 1944.
Remembrances may be sent to New Bethany Residential Care Community, 1441 Berkeley Drive, Los Banos, CA 93635; or to St. Jude Catholic Church, Ceres, CA or the Priest Retirement Fund for the Diocese of Stockton.
