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Father Thomas Aloysius McKernan - The Poet Priest of Kansas
Tom McKernan was partially raised by a Catholic priest, and then became a priest. During 50+ years as a priest he served at several southeast and central Kansas parishes — and one church on wheels that traveled into western Kansas. He touched many lives and was known as a writer, and poet who also wrote a play about angels.
Tom McKernan was partially raised by a Catholic priest, and then became a priest. During 50+ years as a priest he served at several southeast and central Kansas parishes — and one church on wheels that traveled into western Kansas. He touched many lives and was known as a writer, and poet who also wrote a play about angels.
Tom McKernan was born to Irish immigrant parents in St. Louis in June of 1881. His mother, Mary, died when he was three years old, and his father, Thomas, passed away six years later. A cousin, Father B.J. McKernan, who was the pastor of a parish in Winfield, Kansas, accepted guardianship of the orphaned Tom. Father McKernan brought Thomas to Kansas where he entered him in the St. Francis boarding school here in Osage Mission to continue his education. When St. Francis closed, in 1891, Thomas went to Winfield where he continued his parochial education; but there is a good chance young Thomas crossed paths with an older student named William Whites (W.W.) Graves, who graduated for from St. Francis in 1891. in 1896, he went to St. benedicts College in Atchison, Kansas. After six years there he entered the Kendrick Seminary in St. Louis.
Father Thomas McKernan was ordained in St. Louis on June 11, 1907 and said his first low Mass in his mother's old church in St. Louis and his second in the Shrine of Perpetual Light, also in St. Louis. Only one Mass was said each year in the shrine, hence it was a very special privilege for the young priest to be chosen as the celebrant of the year. He said his first Solemn High Mass in St. Mary's Church, Fort Scott, Kansas on his 26th birthday, June 6th, 1907.
Father Thomas McKernan was ordained in St. Louis on June 11, 1907 and said his first low Mass in his mother's old church in St. Louis and his second in the Shrine of Perpetual Light, also in St. Louis. Only one Mass was said each year in the shrine, hence it was a very special privilege for the young priest to be chosen as the celebrant of the year. He said his first Solemn High Mass in St. Mary's Church, Fort Scott, Kansas on his 26th birthday, June 6th, 1907.
Railroad Chapel Car.
(Click to Enlarge)
Chapel Cars.
Over the years, "Father Tom" served and preached at churches and hospitals in an area bounded by Great Bend, on the west, and east to Parsons Mercy Hospital. One of his first assignments, also in June of 1907, was to be appointed as Chaplain of a novel church extension service known as a Chapel Car. The Chapel Cars were railroad pullman cars outfitted as rolling churches. In addition to living accommodations, the cars included seating for up to 50 persons, a library, altar, confessional and equipment needed to fill the service of a rolling mission church for areas that did not have permanent church facilities. Being selected for such a unique assignment showed the promise his superiors saw in this young priest.
Over the years, "Father Tom" served and preached at churches and hospitals in an area bounded by Great Bend, on the west, and east to Parsons Mercy Hospital. One of his first assignments, also in June of 1907, was to be appointed as Chaplain of a novel church extension service known as a Chapel Car. The Chapel Cars were railroad pullman cars outfitted as rolling churches. In addition to living accommodations, the cars included seating for up to 50 persons, a library, altar, confessional and equipment needed to fill the service of a rolling mission church for areas that did not have permanent church facilities. Being selected for such a unique assignment showed the promise his superiors saw in this young priest.
Click to Download PDF to Your Computer.
The Poet Priest of Kansas.
The term Poet Priest of Kansas was coined by William Whites (W.W.) Graves in his 1937 book "The Poet Priest of Kansas, Father Thomas Aloysius McKernan." It was one of sixteen books published by Graves between 1916 and 1951; and this number doesn't include countless other publications he wrote for Anti-Horse Thief Association, The Kanas State Historical Society, The Kansas Catholic Historical Society, The Kansas Knights of Columbus, local organization and others. In 1952 he received a Vatican Knighthood for the work he did to preserve the roles of the Osage Indians and the Catholic Church in the settlement of Kansas. [1]
Graves' "Poet Priest ..." is provided, in its entirety via the SCRIBD Reader link below. The book is 128 pages long, with the first 16 pages overviewing his life story. The remainder pages incudes many of his poems and a table of Contents. The poems are categorized by various subjects. Like many books of the era the Table of Contents is as the back. Pages 101 - 116, a three-act drama "THE NEUTRAL ANGELS," is pretty interesting in itself!
The scan is a little rough. [1] If you have a SCRIBD account, the document can be downloaded to your account. However, you can download my scanned PDF copy to your computer by clicking the cover illustration at above, right. (It is a large file and will take a moment to download. The downloaded file will probably he sharper and easier to handle on your device.)
The term Poet Priest of Kansas was coined by William Whites (W.W.) Graves in his 1937 book "The Poet Priest of Kansas, Father Thomas Aloysius McKernan." It was one of sixteen books published by Graves between 1916 and 1951; and this number doesn't include countless other publications he wrote for Anti-Horse Thief Association, The Kanas State Historical Society, The Kansas Catholic Historical Society, The Kansas Knights of Columbus, local organization and others. In 1952 he received a Vatican Knighthood for the work he did to preserve the roles of the Osage Indians and the Catholic Church in the settlement of Kansas. [1]
Graves' "Poet Priest ..." is provided, in its entirety via the SCRIBD Reader link below. The book is 128 pages long, with the first 16 pages overviewing his life story. The remainder pages incudes many of his poems and a table of Contents. The poems are categorized by various subjects. Like many books of the era the Table of Contents is as the back. Pages 101 - 116, a three-act drama "THE NEUTRAL ANGELS," is pretty interesting in itself!
The scan is a little rough. [1] If you have a SCRIBD account, the document can be downloaded to your account. However, you can download my scanned PDF copy to your computer by clicking the cover illustration at above, right. (It is a large file and will take a moment to download. The downloaded file will probably he sharper and easier to handle on your device.)
More to His Story.
Mr. Graves' book was published in 1937, when Father Thomas McKernan was fifty-six years old. He lived about twenty-two more years and some of the details of that period are a little sketchy. However, it is known that he served as the chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Parsons. He continued to reside at the hospital until his death on February 29, 1959. Bishop Mark Carroll celebrated the funeral at St. Patrick’s
Church in Parsons. Burial was in Mt. Olivet cemetery.
... Passed to His Eternal Reward.
Fielding Hopkins was W.W. Graves' Nephew, and 'Hoppy' was also my cousin. After Mr. Graves passed, Fielding was the editor of the St. Paul Journal, in addition to running an insurance agency. A typewritten, and hand edited, obituary was included with a large package of historical information his daughter donated to the local museum in 2012. I don't know if it ever appeared in the Journal, but his writing expressed some very personal memories of Father Tom. It was hand noted with the date of February 23, 1959. [2]
Mr. Graves' book was published in 1937, when Father Thomas McKernan was fifty-six years old. He lived about twenty-two more years and some of the details of that period are a little sketchy. However, it is known that he served as the chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Parsons. He continued to reside at the hospital until his death on February 29, 1959. Bishop Mark Carroll celebrated the funeral at St. Patrick’s
Church in Parsons. Burial was in Mt. Olivet cemetery.
... Passed to His Eternal Reward.
Fielding Hopkins was W.W. Graves' Nephew, and 'Hoppy' was also my cousin. After Mr. Graves passed, Fielding was the editor of the St. Paul Journal, in addition to running an insurance agency. A typewritten, and hand edited, obituary was included with a large package of historical information his daughter donated to the local museum in 2012. I don't know if it ever appeared in the Journal, but his writing expressed some very personal memories of Father Tom. It was hand noted with the date of February 23, 1959. [2]
"FATHER TOM PASSED TO HIS ETERNAL REWARD. By F.S. Hopkins.
Last Saturday night, at Mercy Hospital, Parsons, Kansas, the Reverend Thomas A. McKernan, passed to his eternal Reward.
For the past several years "Father Tom" as he was familiarly known by his many friends throughout Southeast Kansas, and been stationed as retired chaplain at Mercy Hospital, Parsons.
Father McKernan was born June 16, 1881, in St. Louis. His Father, Thomas McKernan and his mother Mary Stanley, were both natives of Ireland but were married in St. Louis. His mother died when he was three years old and his father followed her into the other world six years later. Rev. B. J. McKernan, a cousin, then in charge of the parish at Winfield, Kanas was appointed guardian of the orphaned Thomas McKernan, Jr., brough him to Kansas and put him in St. Francis Institution at Osage Mission (Now St. Paul) to continue his studies.
Upon the closing of St. Francis in 1891, Thomas McKernan went to Winfield, continued his studies in the parochial school and in 1896 he went to St. Benedicts College, Atchinson, Kansas. After six years there he went to Kendrick Seminary in St. Louis.
Father Thomas McKernan was ordained priest in St. Louis, June 11, 1907, and said his first low Mass in his mother's old church in St. Louis and the second in the Shrine of Perpetual Light in St. Louis. Only one Mass was said each year in this shrine, hence it was a very special privilege for this young priest to be chosen for the celebrant this year. He sang his firs Solemn High Mass at the St. Mary's church, Fr. Scott, on his 26th birthday, June 16, 1907.
In January of 1908 he was made pastor of Greenbush. In 1912 he was mad pastor of St. Joseph's parish in Wichita, but was forced to resign because of poor health. After two years leave of absence he returned to the diocese and was mad chaplain of St. Rose's Hospital in Great Bend. In January 1921 he became chaplain of Mercy Hospital, Parsons. He served in Parsons 33 years retiring November 5, 1954.
OUR MEMORY OF "FATHER TOM" IS VERY VIVID AND DISTINCT ......
In 1937, in conjunction with our uncle the late W.W. Graves, Father Thomas McKernan, issued his 120-page volume "The Poet Priest of Kansas," a book of poems dedicated to those times and friends of "Father Tom." This book is still available and each month, someone writes in and inquires "Where can I obtain a copy of "The Poet Priest of Kansas." As a partner in the book publishing business with my late uncle, I still have available some of the many works he published.
Naturally, my most vivid memory of "Father Tom" stems back to that warm night in July 1951, as I lay in Mercy Hospital, a victim of coronary Thrombosis. With two "light attacks" we though, I was shuttered to Mercy Hospital from my home in St. Paul, due to the fact that the Neosho River was rising rapidly, with threatened flood, and the closing of highway, plus the fact my local doctor, Dr. E. C. Bryan had stated that the place for a man in my condition was in a hospital.
I had two very restful days in the hospital and had been intently listening to the local reports of flooding Neosho, with all highways closed. My nurse had communicated with my wife in St. Paul by phone and reported my condition good considering. It was on Saturday night, and during visiting hours in the evening, my mother and sister and brother-in-law had come out from Parsons for a short visit. At nine, they left, with other hospital visitors. Around ten, "like a bolt from the blue" another severe and near-fatal attack occurred.
I can recall, as though it was yesterday, my nurse, summoning all help on the floor, the very urgent oxygen tank, Dr. Miller from Parsons, but most of all .... and may I say .... best of all .... Rev. Father Thomas McKernan, chaplain of Mercy Hospital. I can hear him yet say "Son, I have come to help you .... when I anoint a sick person ... they improve." And,, a couple of days later, when I had improved, he came into my room and said "Remember, what I told you." and I remarked "I sure do Father."
Yes, my memories of Father Thomas McKernan will probably remain with me all the days I remain on this earth .... because he was certainly a comforting blessing, at a time, when I was quite sure .... the end was near .... that I would get well were most comforting. He was a great physical as well as spiritual help in my time of need.
May his reward be Glorious and Eternal."
Some Reference Information.
1. The Scanned Copy and Copyright Information. This page is the result of a research request from a woman named Mary. Father Thomas McKernan, as well as Father B.J. McKernan were her mother's cousins. She had heard of W.W. Graves' book about the Poet Priest of Kansas and was looking for a copy. I knew copies would be hard to find because Mr. Graves has been gone for more than seventy years.
However, I also remembered that my cousin had donated a large amount of information to the local museum back in 2012. The cousin, Karen Hopkins Steinbacher, was W.W. Graves niece, and the two boxes she donated included countless photos, publications and other material that I ended up archiving as the "Graves - Hopkins Collection". Her donation included a copy of the book to supplement one that was already in the museum. At the time of archiving, I scanned many of the 100+ items that were in that collection.
The scanned version is not pretty. The original book was soft-covered, staple bound and pretty fragile. I decided to scan most of the book two-pages-at-a-time to minimize handling during the process. The book survived but some of the pages are crooked or wrinkled. I didn't even think about trying to do it twice! LOL
It is noted that the book is copyrighted 1937. I believe the copyright expired 70 years after W.W. Graves' death. I had some second thoughts about posting it online. But Mr. Graves wrote his large body of history books to be read. Under present circumstances, I see little chance his books will be reprinted or circulated unless it is like this.
2. The Hopkins 'Obituary." The obituary mentioned above was included in the Graves - Hopkins Collection also discussed previously. The typewritten and hand-edited page had a second printed article taped to it, and I archived it as it was. The printed article was a brief story about Father Tom's 50-year jubilee as a priest. According to a hand-written note at the bottom the article was printed in the June 11, 1957, issue of the Parsons Sun — about 19 months before his death. The two taped-together documents are LINKED HERE.
1. The Scanned Copy and Copyright Information. This page is the result of a research request from a woman named Mary. Father Thomas McKernan, as well as Father B.J. McKernan were her mother's cousins. She had heard of W.W. Graves' book about the Poet Priest of Kansas and was looking for a copy. I knew copies would be hard to find because Mr. Graves has been gone for more than seventy years.
However, I also remembered that my cousin had donated a large amount of information to the local museum back in 2012. The cousin, Karen Hopkins Steinbacher, was W.W. Graves niece, and the two boxes she donated included countless photos, publications and other material that I ended up archiving as the "Graves - Hopkins Collection". Her donation included a copy of the book to supplement one that was already in the museum. At the time of archiving, I scanned many of the 100+ items that were in that collection.
The scanned version is not pretty. The original book was soft-covered, staple bound and pretty fragile. I decided to scan most of the book two-pages-at-a-time to minimize handling during the process. The book survived but some of the pages are crooked or wrinkled. I didn't even think about trying to do it twice! LOL
It is noted that the book is copyrighted 1937. I believe the copyright expired 70 years after W.W. Graves' death. I had some second thoughts about posting it online. But Mr. Graves wrote his large body of history books to be read. Under present circumstances, I see little chance his books will be reprinted or circulated unless it is like this.
2. The Hopkins 'Obituary." The obituary mentioned above was included in the Graves - Hopkins Collection also discussed previously. The typewritten and hand-edited page had a second printed article taped to it, and I archived it as it was. The printed article was a brief story about Father Tom's 50-year jubilee as a priest. According to a hand-written note at the bottom the article was printed in the June 11, 1957, issue of the Parsons Sun — about 19 months before his death. The two taped-together documents are LINKED HERE.
Priests of the Prairie Page (Click to enlarge)
4. Priests on the Prairie. A small piece of the Fr. McKernan puzzle came from a book published by the Dodge City Diocese in 2008. Titled "PRIESTS ON THE PRAIRIE; Southwest Kansas Territory" By Timothy F. Wenzl. It includes brief, one-page biographies of 317 deceased Catholic priests and bishops who served the 28-county area that now is the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City. Father McKernan's western travels on the Chapel Car took him to western Kansas towns of Hugoton, Copeland, Hanston, Bazine, Ness City, Dighton and Scott City. He was also stationed for a time at St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend, Kansas. But Tim's book also covers two of our own Osage Mission priests — Fathers Paul Ponziglione, and Philip Colleton. Both of these priests made trips into what is now the Dodge City Diocese. Father Colleton, in particular, served the soldiers at Fort Larned, and the railroad workers who were converting much of the Santa Fe Trail route for railroad travel. Father Tom's page is shown here and can be enlarged.
While Tim's book was of very limited edition, the content has been captured in a Dodge City Diocese Website page called "Necrology". That page can be accessed HERE.
Tim Wenzl's name might seem familiar to a few people in other parts of the state. In 2018, he published a book titled "Angels to Xavier, Catholic Place Names in Kansas, Obvious and Obscure." The book documents the communities and geographical locations in Kansas that bear Catholic names, or significant Catholic meaning. The book is fairly compact in size, but he allocated quite a bit of page space to St. Paul, Osage Mission, Greenbush, Mound City and the St. Philippine Duchesne Memorial Park (Sugar Creek Mission) sites in eastern Kansas. I had the pleasure of helping Tim with photography and research on these sites. Here are a couple of links about the book and Tim:
While Tim's book was of very limited edition, the content has been captured in a Dodge City Diocese Website page called "Necrology". That page can be accessed HERE.
Tim Wenzl's name might seem familiar to a few people in other parts of the state. In 2018, he published a book titled "Angels to Xavier, Catholic Place Names in Kansas, Obvious and Obscure." The book documents the communities and geographical locations in Kansas that bear Catholic names, or significant Catholic meaning. The book is fairly compact in size, but he allocated quite a bit of page space to St. Paul, Osage Mission, Greenbush, Mound City and the St. Philippine Duchesne Memorial Park (Sugar Creek Mission) sites in eastern Kansas. I had the pleasure of helping Tim with photography and research on these sites. Here are a couple of links about the book and Tim:
- A Gazetteer of Kansas Catholic Places and History. (From this website)
- An Article from the Catholic Diocese of Wichita's, Catholic Advance.
