Denver Catholic

5 DENVER CATHOLIC | OCTOBER 14-27, 2017 Around the Archdiocese S. M' H S A Catholic college-prep family since 1885 INSPIRED BY FAITH EMPOWERED BY KNOWLEDGE UNITED BY COMMUNITY 2501 E. Yampa St. Colorado Springs, CO 80909 719.635.7540 www.smhscs.org St. Mary's High School seeks an innovative leader with a commitment to Catholic education and experienced in educational administration and development who will embrace the mission of our school and take it to the next level to ensure fi nancial sustainability and enrollment growth for the next 130 years. Join a Catholic college preparatory institution of unparalleled success as President of St. Mary's High School. For more information visit www.smhscs.org/employment. President of Southern Colorado's only Catholic High School – Could this be your calling? Closing Date: November 30, 2017 Position Start Date: July 1, 2018 Applications must be received by November 30, 2017 Msgr. Horrigan remembered as 'humble, faith-fi lled man' M sgr. Leo Horrigan, who served 56 years as a priest, died Sept. 17, 2017, after su• ering from a long illness. He was 83. The longtime Denver resident was born one of seven child ren on Nov. 20, 1934, in Shenandoah, Iowa, to Edward and Evelyn Horrigan. When he was just three years old, his family moved to Denver. He attended grade school at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Denver and graduated from St. Fran- cis de Sales High School in Denver in 1952. He attended Regis College from 1952-1953 and St. Thomas Seminary in Denver from 1953-1956. He was ordained on Dec. 20, 1959, in Rome by Archbishop M. O'Connor, and went on to receive his S.T.L. from the Pon- tifi cal Gregorian University in Rome in 1960 and an M.A. from the Catholic University of America in 1966. He was appointed a Prelate of Honor by Pope St. John Paul II on Sept. 25, 2000. Some of Msgr. Horrigan's assign- ments include pastor at St. Philomena Parish, Blessed Sacrament Parish, where he served for 13 years, and Notre Dame Parish in Denver, where he served for four terms. He also served as the Archdiocesan Scout Chaplain and as the ordinary confessor of the Francis- can Motherhouse in Colorado Springs. He also served in various Archdioce- san positions including Vicar for Clergy. He was the fi rst to have the position in the diocese, under Archbishop James V. Casey. He retired June 11, 2010. Father Robert Fisher, who knew him professionally, remembered Msgr. Horrigan as a "tremendously faithful" man. "I knew him to be incredibly knowl- edgeable and a very good pastor. He was at the Cathedral while I was a seminarian," Father Fisher said. "He was a tremendous guy, incredibly faith- ful. Those that I know who had him as a pastor absolutely loved him." Msgr. Thomas Fryar, current pastor at St. Thomas More Parish, also served as Vicar for Clergy and explained how the position is a di® cult but rewarding one, and that Msgr. Horrigan is remem- bered as a good pastor because of his experience with that role. "He was the fi rst one in that role under Archbishop Casey. He helped overseeing priests and their roles in their parishes, and he did it in a very humble way," Msgr. Fryar said. Msgr. Fryar knows people who still remember Msgr. Horrigan as a faithful pastor. "One thing I'm very aware of is that he had such a profound impact on people that they still remembered him even now. You enter the lives of people and you have no idea how it will touch people in later years [as a priest]," he said. "He was a gentle, loving and faith- fi lled presence in the community. "Even in retirement and infi rmity, he helped bring the sacraments to people. He was always wanting to be available to share the grace of God with others. He's a man I really looked up to." BY THERESE BUSSEN therese.bussen@archden.org @ThereseBussen Monsignor Leo Horrigan died Sept. 17 after a fruitful career as a priest for the Archdiocese of Denver. He is remembered fondly for his faith and humility. FILE PHOTOS

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