SYLVA — Father James P. Cahill, 93, passed away Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at his residence.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church, located at 37 Murphy Dr. in Maggie Valley. Inurnment will follow the Mass at St. Margaret’s Columbarium.
A native of Philadelphia, Pa., he was born Sept. 12, 1929, the youngest child of the late Joseph and Helen (Hentschel) Cahill.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College before entering the Jesuits in 1947, studying at the adjoining Jesuit seminary, Weston College (now Weston Jesuit School of
Theology) in Cambridge, Mass. He was ordained a priest on June 17, 1961, by Cardinal Richard Cushing, Archbishop of Boston.
He served in the Diocese of Charlotte for several years, first at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte from 1986 to 1991, and then as pastor of St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Church in Sylva from 1991 until his retirement in 2002. He also served as vicar forane of the Smoky Mountains Vicariate, where he helped as needed in parishes.
Upon retirement, he gave the homily at the diocese’s annual priest jubilarian Mass, where he said a priest’s ministry is about sharing God’s love, peace and joy with others. “If I can take God’s peace and His love, and the joy of being with Christ, and convey that to another human being, I feel that my life as a priest is doing something remarkable.”
Those who knew Father Cahill knew he had a favorite phrase: “ORP,” or “old retired priest.”
In addition to his parents, Father Cahill was preceded in death by his siblings, one sister and two brothers.
Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald