By Rita McInerney

Fifty years ago this spring Father John O'Shea was in the first group of priests ordained at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta.

Archbishop Gerald P. O'Hara ordained him to the priesthood for the Savannah-Atlanta diocese on June 7, 1941. Two other men were ordained with him, John Toomey and William Goldsmith, but did not serve in North Georgia. Father Toomey ministered in the Savannah diocese while Father Goldsmith, who came from Atlanta, was a priest in Charleston diocese.

This was just a few years after the dedication of the cathedral in 1937. Father O'Shea, then studying at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, was among seminarians sent down to assist at that ceremony.

The jubilarian, who retired July 1, 1976, has lived at the cathedral rectory since 1973 when he was assigned there as assistant after a year as pastor at St. Bernadette's in Cedartown.

He went to Cedartown after serving for 12 years as pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Hapeville. He was named to that parish in January, 1960, succeeding the parish founder and first pastor, Father George Daly. He was dean of the South Deanery from 1962 to 1972.

In a 1972 parish "profile" written for The Georgia Bulletin by Richard Beckman, now a permanent deacon at the parish, Father O'Shea admitted to feeling that an excessive amount of meetings were being held by the various boards and committees set up in those post-Vatican II years.

Looking back to that era, Deacon Beckman said he believed the parish "really appreciated that he (Father O'Shea) was particularly gifted with older people, people who were sick, in the hospital. He was tremendous that way, calling on the sick and being johnny-on-the-spot." Nowadays, the deacon added, parishioners are more apt to see laity serving them instead of clerics in this and other parish ministries.

Father O'Shea didn't enter the seminary immediately after graduation from the Christian Brothers boys' high school in his hometown of Augusta, GA. He worked for a time at the Georgia Railroad.

When he told his parents he had decided to enter the seminary they were happy. "Dad told me not to hesitate to leave (the seminary) if I decided I didn't have a vocation," he recalled. "I appreciated that. You know what they say about the Irish," always insisting a son or daughter enter religious life.

His parents, James and Catherine Murphy O'Shea, both natives of County Cork, Ireland, had ten children. He was the second oldest, born at home Dec. 20, 1909.

He remembers the hospitality his parents showed soldiers training at nearby Camp Hancock during World War I. They would come for Sunday dinner and afterward his mother would play the piano.

While he never had doubts about wanting to be a priest there were times in the minor seminary, St. Charles Prep in Catonsville, MD, when he wondered about the strict and confining regime. Permission would be granted to go into Baltimore to the dentist or like appointment but he doesn't recall being allowed to go to the movies.

His first assignment after ordination was as assistant at St. Joseph's in Athens. After a year there he spent the next three years, 1942-45, at St. Anthony's in southwest Atlanta.

His first pastorate was St. Augustine's in Thomasville. Also in his care there were two missions, Bainbridge and Moultrie. It was like "being on a racetrack on Sunday morning," making the Mass circuit covering 139 miles in southwest Georgia near the Florida border. He was always glad to get back to the rectory and relax.

After eight years in Thomasville, his next pastorate was St. John the Evangelist in Valdosta, from November, 1953, until May, 1956.

Early in 1956, it happened that Bishop Francis Hyland was looking for someone to serve as chaplain at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. When he met Father O'Shea at a gathering, he asked if he would like the assignment. Father O'Shea accepted.

After three and a half years at the prison, the priest decided that was long enough, although the salary was the best he ever made. From there he went to the Hapeville parish.

Father O'Shea became a priest of the archdiocese of Atlanta in 1962 when it was established as a metropolitan province for Georgia, North and South Carolina. This came about when Bishop Hyland was forced to retire because of failing health and Bishop Paul Hallinan of Charleston was named archbishop.

Over the years, Father O'Shea enjoyed playing golf with several priest friends on his day off. He enjoys travel, also, and figures he's been to Ireland about 10 times, either by ship or by air. One of the first places he visited was the area not far from Cork City where his parents came from.

A longtime subscriber to The Homiletic and Pastoral Review, he continues to read it thoroughly. "It's still a great priest's magazine."

Father O'Shea will celebrate his 50th jubilee at the 12 o'clock Mass on Sunday, June 9. He will be honored at a reception to follow in the Hyland Center.