Obituary of Fr. John P Finnegan

Fr. John P. Finnegan, 90, founding pastor of Saint Mary of Vernon Catholic Church in Indian Creek passed away June 16, 2019. John was born in Chicago on July 8, 1928 to William and Jennie Finnegan. He devoted his life’s work to the Catholic ministry and entered St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL in 1947 and was ordained a Catholic priest on May 5, 1954. He served in the following Chicago parishes: Our Lady of Loretto (Hometown) and St. Thomas the Apostle (Hyde Park). He also taught Latin at Quigley HS and Niles College. In 1978, Fr. John was appointed by the late Cardinal Cody as founding pastor of St. Mary of Vernon in Indian Creek, IL. He continued as pastor until his retirement in 1998.

Fr. John obtained his Masters degree from the University of Notre Dame in classics and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Greek and Latin. He also served as Dean of Academics and liaison between Niles College and Loyola University. After retiring as pastor in 1998, he spent the next 20 years helping out at various churches in Lake County. He saw the need for expanding the Church’s ministry to senior living centers. Hawthorn Lakes was the first such ministry he established in 1983.

John is survived by his siblings Fr. William, Thomas (Toni) and Mary (Jack) Discher and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation for Fr. Finnegan will be Friday, June 21st from 3:00 - 8:00pm and Saturday June 22nd from 9:00 - 11:00am at St. Mary of Vernon Catholic Church, 236 US-45, Indian Creek, IL 60061.

Mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday, June 22nd at 11:00 am at St. Mary of Vernon Catholic Church. Interment Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, Hillside. In lieu of flowers, memorials made to St. Mary of Vernon Catholic Church, 236 US-45, Indian Creek, IL 60061. Funeral arrangements by McMurrough Funeral Chapel (847) 362-2626. Please sign the guestbook at libertyvillefuneralhome.com..