SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Roman Catholic Bishop Joseph A. McNicholas was mourned today as a champion of justice who approached his job with a 'firm but compassionate hand.'
McNicholas, 60, died early Sunday at St. John's Hospital of a massive coronary, a diocesan spokesman said.
'It was a shock, totally unexpected,' the spokesman said. 'He rarely had a sick day in his life.'
McNicholas was ordained on June 7, 1949, as a priest in the St. Louis Archdiocese. He was later named an associate pastor at St. Louis Cathedral.
In 1955, he was transferred to Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish as a part-time associate pastor in St. Louis and worked on his masters degree in social work at St. Louis University.
On March 25, 1969, McNicholas was ordained an auxiliary bishop of St. Louis and became the bishop of Springfield on Sept. 3, 1975.
The spokesman said funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Archbishop Joseph Bernardin of Chicago will be the principal celebrant and Archbishop Edward O'Meara of Indianapolis will be the homilist.
