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Buchanan County MOGenWeb Project

County coordinator and webmaster: Sharlene K. Miller, CG

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Biographies of Buchanan County Residents:

Reverend James P. Brady

Transcribed by Danielle Thompson

From the History of Buchanan County and the City of St Joseph and Representative Citizens

  

REV. JAMES P. BRADY, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church of St. Joseph, is one of the younger members of the clergy, who has been very rapidly advanced from one responsible position to another, for Father Brady has only been in the priesthood since 1897. He was born in Nodaway County, Missouri, on April 18, 1873, and is one of a family of 10 born to his parents, William and Rose (Growney) Brady.

Father Brady's early education was obtained in the common schools, but as his intellect developed he was given better opportunities at Conception College, where he graduated in the class of 1892. When he entered upon the study of theology and preparation for the priesthood, he went to Montreal, Canada, where he spent four years in Grand Seminary. Upon his return to Missouri, he entered the seminary at St. Louis, and was graduated there in 1897. On May 30, 1897, he was ordained to the priesthood, the solemn services being conducted by Rt. Rev. Bishop Burke, who is now Bishop of the St. Joseph Diocese.

Father Brady entered upon his clerical work as second assistant at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, a holy office he filled until he was advanced to be first assistant and continued in the latter position until February 20, 1904, when he was appointed to his present pastorate. St. Mary's has a congregation of 85 families and has a parish school attached, which is under the care of three Sisters. Father Brady was also chaplain at the Academy of the Sacred Heart and at the St. Joseph Hospital, while stationed at the Cathedral.

The people of St. Joseph have had a chance to see the quality of the work of Father Brady, during his pastorate in this city, and, irrespective of creed, combine to accord him the respect and esteem due to a good, faithful minister and an upright, cultured Christian man.