Diocesan Priest, Rev. James L Pugh, Dies

WordPress Photo Gallery PluginFather James Lee Pugh died on Friday, August 9, 2019, at the age of 77.  A native of Nashville, Father Pugh was the son of Robert Lee Pugh and Pauline Farris Pugh.  He was a graduate of Father Ryan High School in Nashville, St. Bernard Seminary in Cullman, AL and St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park, MD.  Ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville on April 29, 1967, Father Pugh began his priestly service in West Tennessee and remained when the Diocese of Memphis was formed in 1971.  

Father Pugh served as the Assistant (Associate) Pastor of the following parishes:  Immaculate Conception, Memphis; St. William, Millington; St. Louis, Memphis; St. Therese, Memphis; and St. Paul the Apostle, Memphis.  He later served as pastor of the following parishes:  St. John, Memphis; Church of the Incarnation, Collierville; St. Francis of Assisi, Cordova; St. Anne (Highland), Memphis; St. Andrew the Apostle, Lexington and St. Regina, Parsons; and St. Paul the Apostle, Memphis.  Father Pugh taught for many years at the parish schools to which he was assigned as well as at Catholic High School for Boys and Christian Brothers High School.  Father retired from active ministry in 2012, though he continued to celebrate Mass at the Ave Maria Home where he was in residence.

Visitation for Father Pugh will take place at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, from 5:00pm-7:00pm.  Funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at 11:00am.  Entombment will follow immediately after the Funeral Mass at Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum.  Memorial donations may be made to Ave Maria Home, 2805 Charles Bryan Road, Bartlett, TN 38134.

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