John Edward Gunn

John Edward Gunn S.M. (15 March 1863 – 19 February 1924) was an Irish-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Natchez in Mississippi from 1911 until his death in 1924. He was a member of the Society of Mary (Marists)

Biography Early life The oldest of eleven children, John Gunn was born on March 15, 1863, in Fivemiletown, County Tyrone, in Ireland to Edward and Mary (née Grew) Gunn. From 1875 to 1880, he studied at St. Mary's College in Dundalk, Ireland. He then attended the Marist House of Studies in Paignton, England (1880–1882) before furthering his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University (1885–1890). While in Rome, Gunn made his profession to the Marists on August 23, 1884. After his ordination, the Marists assigned Gunn back to Ireland to teach at St. Mary's College. In 1892, the Marists sent Gunn to the United States to teach moral theology at the Marist House of Studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He then began extensive pastoral visits to all the parishes and missions throughout the diocese, which covered nearly 47,000 square miles.

He received significant assistance from the Catholic Church Extension Society in Chicago, Illinois, and incorporated the diocese in 1918. He became known as the "Chapel Builder." By the time of his death, there were 149 churches and over 31,000 Catholics in the diocese. In 1915, during World War I, Gunn attended the installation of Bishop George Mundelein as archbishop of Detroit. At a banquet dinner in that city after the ceremony a German spy allegedly laced the soup with arsenic. Gunn and four others suffered from poisoning, but he survived. Following the end of World War I, the Vatican considered appointing him as archbishop of New Orleans, but he refused the efforts.

Death By January 1924, his failing health left him in critical condition. John Gunn died on February 19, 1924, in Natchez, from a heart attack at age 60. He was buried beside his predecessor, Bishop Thomas Heslin. In his will, Gunn states,"In life and in death I am proud of three things: My Irish birth, my Catholic faith, and my American citizenship. I tried to translate my love for all three into service and sacrifice".