Thomas Mathias Lenihan

Biography

Thomas Mathias Lenihan answered the call to the priesthood with energy and perseverance, ministering to scattering Catholic communities in the Mountain West during a decade when priests were few and parishes still fledgling. He brought the sacraments to miners, ranchers, and railroad workers, often traveling great distances to tend to their spiritual needs.

Known for a gentle counsel and an obedient heart, he encouraged education and charitable work, fostering schools and hospitals while keeping parish communities united, and his memory remains among the faithful interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery.