Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan

I was a seminarian at St.Pius X Seminary in Dalton from 1975-1980. Msgr. McGowan was Rector during this time. One year, I waited too late to book my flight home for Christmas Holiday, and could not afford the high airfare, so made plans to stay in Scranton during the Christmas break. When Msgr. McGowan learned of this, he immediately contacted the airline. I had a ticket home to spend Christmas with my family.

Msgr. McGowan, may you rejoice in the company of the angels and look...

I had the privledge of working with Msgr. at Mercy Hospital. He was a wonderful man and always came in with a smile. He will be greatly missed by many.

The Class of 1955 was the first class at St. Mary's for which Father McGowan served as Moderator. He started the baseball team in our senior year, he was chaplin for the the basketball team and he was the chaperone (God bless him!) for our Washington trip. He was an inspiration to us all.
Last September, he was the speaker at our class's 50th reunion. What joy to have him with us! It was the last St. Mary's reunion he would attend.
May the angels lead him into...

Msgr. McGowan was the rector of St. Pius X Seminary when I was a student there from 1970-73. I remember a time when he said "Men, I know it my responsibilty to prepare pastors for the church of the year 2000". And no one did that that better than he did. His vision of church, his fatherly manner, his quick wit and his deep love for the church have continued to inspire me through my years of priesthood. He was a giant among us who made all who walked with him feel equally as tall and blessed...

Msgr. MacGowan was our school moderator at St. Mary's in Wilkes-Barre. What good memories we have of our senior trip to Wash. DC in 1957. He was the best.

Monsignor was Spiritual Director of St. Marys H.S. in Wilkes-Barre when I was a student there in 1957. Until this day, Monsignor was respected and loved as a priest and a man by the everyone. He will be sadly missed.

I was fortunate enough to have Msgr. McGowan in my family, growing up in the very house he lived in for a while as a child if I'm not mistaken. He is part of a generation that will never come again. It is unfortunately two years ago that I saw him last at a family dinner in NYC. I able to spend time with Monsignor, his sister Lee, cousin Anne Fennesy and other family members just listening to family stories and absorbing a bit of history. He will be missed dearly.