My Genealogy Hound

REV. MORGAN M. SHEEDY, pastor of St. Mary of Mercy’s Church, Pittsburgh, son of Michael and Mary (Madden) Sheedy, was born in Charleville, County Cork, Ireland, Oct. 8, 1853. being one of six brothers, three of whom are medical men. He attended the schools of his native town, and, after taking a three years’ course of classical study, he entered St. Coleman’s College, Fermoy, where he remained for three years, the then president of the college being the present Bishop Fitzgerald, of Ross, Ireland. From there he successfully passed a competitive examination entitling him to a free burse in Maynooth College, Dublin, entering at the beginning of the academical year of 1869-70, as senior freshman of the logic class. Here he read natural and moral philosophy for two years, and took a three years’ course in divinity under learned teachers, his professors in theology being Drs. Murray and Crolly, the present Archbishop Walsh of Dublin, and Rev. Dr. Carr, now archbishop of Melbourne, Australia. Our subject graduated in 1876, and being too young for ordination accepted an appointment by the bishop of Pittsburgh to a professorship in St. Michael’s Seminary, Pittsburgh. Arriving in that city, he was ordained in St. Paul’s Cathedral Sept. 23, 1876. He taught theology and history until the seminary was closed, the following year. Father Sheedy was then one year pastor pro tem, of St. Agnes’ Church, Soho, Pittsburgh, and the following year was located at Parker City, Armstrong county, Pa., and the next two and one-half years at Altoona, Pa. March 4, 1881, he took charge of two missions, Cannelton and Clinton, Beaver county, Pa., where he remained for four and one-half years. Oct. 15, 1885, he succeeded Rev. A. A. Lambing, LL. D., as pastor of St. Mary of Mercy’s Church, Pittsburgh, his present charge.

While in Beaver county, and for some time thereafter, Father Sheedy was editor of the Pittsburgh Catholic, and at present is a contributor to the Catholic World, Donahoe’s Magazine and other publications. He is the first vice-president of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America, and helped to organize and has since been one of the directors of the Columbus Club, of Pittsburgh, a society devoted to social and literary exercises.