The O’Sullivan brothers, left to right: Msgr. St. John O’Sullivan, Msgr. Hugh O’Sullivan, and Fr. Anthony O’Sullivan. The O’Sullivan priest brothers were some of the earliest priests serving the Diocese of Owensboro. COURTESY OF ARCHIVES

BY EDWARD WILSON, ARCHIVES

On July 26, 1938, inside of St. Joseph infirmary in Louisville, Ky., Msgr. Hugh O’Sullivan exhaled his final breath. The warmth of God’s love embraced his soul, as he became the first priest of the Diocese of Owensboro to pass from this world and enter into eternal life.

With November being the month that we as Catholics dedicate to the remembrance of the deceased, I thought that this would be a good time to recount a powerful moment and trial in the early days of our diocese, the first death and burial of one of its priests. The passing of any priest is a powerful moment for any diocese. However, this passing was a particularly hard blow for the very young Diocese of Owensboro. After less than a year of existence, it lost Msgr. Hugh O’Sullivan, a beloved and experienced priest, domestic prelate, and the first vicar general of the diocese. His position made him the second in command in the diocese and his passing sent waves of shock and sadness throughout Kentucky.  

Msgr. O’Sullivan’s sickness began shortly after Archbishop John Floersh came down from Louisville to officiate a ceremony elevating him to domestic prelate. The ceremony took place on May 3, 1938 at St. Mary of the Woods, in Whitesville, where Msgr. O’Sullivan had pastored for 45 years. Bishop Cotton took the occasion to announce Msgr. O’Sullivan as the vicar general. However, exactly 11 weeks later he was checked into St. Joseph infirmary and one week after that, passed from this world.

On Tuesday, July 26, the day of Msgr. O’Sullivan’s death, the analyst (who recorded the historic annals) of Mount Saint Joseph wrote, “Bishop Cotton called to tell us Father O’Sullivan is very low at St. Joseph’s infirmary.” The next entry read “Message received at 9 o’clock p.m….” and, underlined in red, “Father O’Sullivan died!” On Wednesday the 27th, Msgr. O’Sullivan’s remains were transported to St. Mary of the Woods and laid in state until the funeral two days later.

Letters poured into the bishop’s office containing condolences and “heartfelt sympathy” following the passing of the good priest. Masses were said for Msgr. O’Sullivan from within and without the diocese. Dom Frederic Dunne, abbot of Our Lady of Gethsemani, let the bishop know that he would be saying a Mass for Msgr. O’Sullivan and requested the entire community very particularly to remember him in prayer, referring to the late monsignor as “so dear a friend.”

The funeral was attended by countless priests from within and without the diocese. Both Archbishop Floersh and Bishop Cotton were there. In Msgr. O’Sullivan, the two had lost a brother priest, friend, and as he was a much older priest from the Diocese of Louisville stock, a mentor. His body was taken back to Louisville and buried beside his father and mother in St. Louis Cemetery.

Years ago, I was asked to pick several photographs to hang in the hallway leading to the archive in the McRaith Catholic Center. Across the door from the archive hangs one of those pictures, Msgr. Hugh O’Sullivan and his two priest brothers, Msgr. St. John O’Sullivan and Fr. Anthony O’Sullivan. It is one of those silent, everyday memorials. It stands as a reminder that in becoming the first priest of the diocese to pass, he also became the first priest to be remembered.

Edward Wilson is the director of the Diocese of Owensboro’s Archives and the Archives of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. Comments and questions may be sent to edward.wilson@pastoral.org.

Originally printed in the November 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.