July 26, 1946
Father Anthony Mages
Father Mages was born on April 9, 1898 in Spearville, Kansas. His seminary studies were completed at St. Benedict’s College, Atchison, KS and St. Meinrad’s Seminary, St. Meinrad, IN after which Bishop Schwertner ordained him on June 11, 1927 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Wichita. Shortly after his ordination he was made pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Chase with mission churches in Lyons, Little River, and McPherson. In 1939 he because pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish in Fowler with Meade as a mission and in 1942 he became pastor in Odin. On July 26, 1946 he went to Spearville to attend the funeral of Fr. Leo Dombrowsky, whose jubilee he had preached for a month earlier, and died of a heart attack in the rectory during the funeral. “Beloved by old and young alike for his versatile gifts of making friends, Father Mages spent himself untiringly for the people of Odin.” (The Advance Register, Aug. 2, 1946) Rev. Vincent Smith celebrated the funeral Mass at St. John the Baptist’s Parish in Spearville on July 30, 1946.