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Sunday, April 6, 2008

Wapella.com mourns the passing of Leo Kinsella


Fr. Arthur (Leo) Kinsella, OP has died at age 88 in Chicago. A Merna native, Leo was a frequent guest in Wapella and said Mass many times over the years at St. Patrick's, as well as performing a Mission at St. John's in Clinton for the people of Wapella and Clinton. He graduated from Providence University and taught at Catholic University of America in Washington DC. Fr. Kinsella was a Domincan missionary Priest in the Order of Preachers, serving as a missionary in Nigeria in the 1950's, where he became ill with malaria. Subsequently he served in Rome at the Angelicum, New Mexico, Great Bend Kansas, St. Louis, River Forest, Illinois, Chicago, among other places, with periodic stops in Bloomington, Merna, Lexington and Wapella. Most recently Fr. Art was stationed at St. Pius V in Chicago, where he continued to teach and preach until recently.

Leo is the brother of Wapella's Mary Rita Powers.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Fr. Kinsella. I enjoyed visiting with him a few times over the years in Wapella and at length at our own Mod's wedding. My Great-grandfather was a good friend of Leo's and my Grandmother always spoke highly of him.

Hog City will miss you, Leo.

Anonymous said...

A good soul.

Turbo.

Anonymous said...

As an attendee of Father Kinsella's mission I can vouch for the depth and breadth of his fine work.

A great man and missionary.

BEP

Anonymous said...

Father Leo led a mission team in Clinton in the 70s and what a breath of fresh air! He told us in the beginning if we had any questions they would try to answer them. My very young son ask him if he knew Jesus' last name. Father Leo told him if he every found out he would let him know. He was a joy filled man and it was a blessing to have known him

Anonymous said...

Condolences to M.R. Powers family. Can't recall a finer man to visit with. RJT

Anonymous said...

Our condolences. We are relatives of Mary Rita Powers. She is Dads(Joseph Lenahan) favorite cousin and he has lost her new address since she moved. He is heartbroken. If you can help me with her new address I would be forever greatful. Rita Lenahan-Ruacho RRUACHO@aol.com

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