Richard Scannell

Richard Scannell (12 May 1845 – 8 January 1916) was an Irish-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Concordia in Kansas (1887–1891) and as bishop of the Diocese of Omaha in Nebraska (1891–1916).

Biography

Early life Richard Scannell was born on 12 May 1845, in Cloyne, County Cork, in Ireland to Patrick and Johanna (née Collins) Scannell. After completing his classical studies in a private school at Midleton, Ireland, he entered All Hallows College in Dublin in 1866.

Priesthood Scannell was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Francis Whelan in Dublin for the Diocese of Nashville in Tennessee, on 26 February 1871. He arrived in the United States later in 1871 and was assigned by the diocese as a curate at Holy Rosary Cathedral Parish in Nashville. In 1878, he became pastor of St. Columba's Parish in East Nashville, Tennessee. He also oversaw the diocese's expansion to 95 parishes, serving more than 80,000 Catholics. Parochial schools and diocesan priests more than doubled in number, and increases were also made among religious.

Scannell erected the Creighton Memorial St. Joseph's Hospital and St. Catherine's Hospital, both in Omaha, along with a home of the Good Shepherd. He also introduced the Third Order Regular of St. Francis, Sisters of St. Joseph, Presentation Sisters, Sisters of the Resurrection, Sisters of St. Benedict, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Good Shepherd Sisters, the Dominicans, Felicians, Ursulines, and Franciscans to the diocese.

Death Richard Scannell died on 8 January 1916, in Omaha at age 70.