Msgr. Edward Lilly turns 99 on Oct. 25

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
October 23, 2003

Msgr. Edward Lilly will celebrate his 99th birthday on Oct. 25. He served in the Diocese of Sioux City as a priest for 50 years before retiring in 1979.

He was born on Oct. 25, 1904, in Fort Dodge. Msgr. Lilly attended St. Columbkille in Varina for elementary school and two years of high school. He graduated from St. Mary's High School in Emmetsburg in 1921.

"I had the example of a very fine young priest when I was in high school," said Msgr. Lilly. "I changed schools from the 10th to the 11th grade. I spent my last two years where this priest was the assistant. He took a lot of interest in me. When I finished high school, he arranged for me to go to college in Dubuque where he had been."

Msgr. Lilly went to Loras College in Dubuque. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Loras in 1925. He earned his master's degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1929.

"When I finished college, he also promoted where I should go to seminary," Msgr. Lilly explained. "He had studied at Baltimore, and in the mean time they had set up a seminary program at the Catholic University. I had a lot of respect for him."

Msgr. Lilly attended Sulpician Seminary in Washington, D.C., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1929, by Bishop Edmond Heelan at the Cathedral in Sioux City.

"Just taking care of the needs of the people," said Msgr. Lilly of the joys of his priesthood. "That involves teaching religion at schools, preaching and doing what a priest is supposed to do."

In the Diocese of Sioux City, Msgr. Lilly served at three parishes before retiring. He was an assistant pastor at Corpus Christi in Fort Dodge from June 1929 to June 1935. He served as pastor at St. John's Church in Ogden from June 1935 to March 1942.

"I spent a long time at St. Joseph's in Sioux City, as pastor," said Msgr. Lilly. "I started there in 1942, and I was there until I retired in 1979. That is quite a long time."

Msgr. Lilly is an avid Chicago Cubs fan. He watched this year's team play until their final game against the Marlins. He was 4-years old when the Cubs last won the World Series. He commented that he took an interest rather recently in rooting for the Cubs.

He currently lives in the Holy Spirit Assisted Living facility in Sioux City.