The Rev. Leonard F. Callahan, former superintendent of Catholic schools in Dallas, died of a heart attack Wednesday at a hospital in Edgewood, Ky.
Father Callahan, 58, collapsed while playing tennis in Covington, Ky.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. He will be buried in the church's cemetery on Tuesday.
Father Callahan resigned in December as superintendent of schools in the Dallas Diocese after a controversial four-year tenure. He had won praise from some administrators but angered many parents by centralizing authority at diocese headquarters, replacing popular administrators and dismantling some parish-level school boards.
In a prepared statement released Thursday, diocese officials expressed condolences for Father Callahan's family and urged local Catholics to remember him in their prayers.
"Father Callahan should be remembered as a priest of the church who sought to serve where he was needed," the statement read, "and who faithfully returned to his home diocese to take a parish assignment at the urging of his bishop."
Father Callahan was born and raised in Detroit. He earned his bachelor's degree in education at St. Francis College in Loretta, Pa. He earned master's degrees in philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky., and theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati. He also did post-graduate work in education management at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Fordham University in New York City, where he earned his doctorate.
Ordained in Covington, Ky. in 1969, Father Callahan became an associate priest at Christ the King Church in Lexington, Ky. In 1972, he also began teaching at Lexington Catholic High School.
He became superintendent of schools in the diocese of Covington and Lexington in 1982 and was named vice president for religious affairs at Bellarmine-Ursuline College in Louisville in 1989.
He was named superintendent in Dallas in 1994.
Father Callahan wanted to be a priest from childhood, said his twin brother, Lawrence Callahan of Fort Wright, Ky.
"Early on, he always had a desire to help other people and work for the underprivileged," his brother said. "He was a huge believer in education. He was happy wherever he went."
At the time of his death, Father Callahan was assistant pastor of St. Thomas Church in Fort Thomas, Ky., where he planned to become pastor in July 1999, when the parish priest retired.
In addition to his brother, Father Callahan is survived by two sisters, Patricia Bingham of Detroit, and Mary Sutton of Southgate, Ky.; and a second brother, Frank Callahan of Crescent Springs, Ky.
Father Callahan, 58, collapsed while playing tennis in Covington, Ky.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. He will be buried in the church's cemetery on Tuesday.
Father Callahan resigned in December as superintendent of schools in the Dallas Diocese after a controversial four-year tenure. He had won praise from some administrators but angered many parents by centralizing authority at diocese headquarters, replacing popular administrators and dismantling some parish-level school boards.
In a prepared statement released Thursday, diocese officials expressed condolences for Father Callahan's family and urged local Catholics to remember him in their prayers.
"Father Callahan should be remembered as a priest of the church who sought to serve where he was needed," the statement read, "and who faithfully returned to his home diocese to take a parish assignment at the urging of his bishop."
Father Callahan was born and raised in Detroit. He earned his bachelor's degree in education at St. Francis College in Loretta, Pa. He earned master's degrees in philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky., and theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati. He also did post-graduate work in education management at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Fordham University in New York City, where he earned his doctorate.
Ordained in Covington, Ky. in 1969, Father Callahan became an associate priest at Christ the King Church in Lexington, Ky. In 1972, he also began teaching at Lexington Catholic High School.
He became superintendent of schools in the diocese of Covington and Lexington in 1982 and was named vice president for religious affairs at Bellarmine-Ursuline College in Louisville in 1989.
He was named superintendent in Dallas in 1994.
Father Callahan wanted to be a priest from childhood, said his twin brother, Lawrence Callahan of Fort Wright, Ky.
"Early on, he always had a desire to help other people and work for the underprivileged," his brother said. "He was a huge believer in education. He was happy wherever he went."
At the time of his death, Father Callahan was assistant pastor of St. Thomas Church in Fort Thomas, Ky., where he planned to become pastor in July 1999, when the parish priest retired.
In addition to his brother, Father Callahan is survived by two sisters, Patricia Bingham of Detroit, and Mary Sutton of Southgate, Ky.; and a second brother, Frank Callahan of Crescent Springs, Ky.
The Rev. Leonard F. Callahan, former superintendent of Catholic schools in Dallas, died of a heart attack Wednesday at a hospital in Edgewood, Ky.
Father Callahan, 58, collapsed while playing tennis in Covington, Ky.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. He will be buried in the church's cemetery on Tuesday.
Father Callahan resigned in December as superintendent of schools in the Dallas Diocese after a controversial four-year tenure. He had won praise from some administrators but angered many parents by centralizing authority at diocese headquarters, replacing popular administrators and dismantling some parish-level school boards.
In a prepared statement released Thursday, diocese officials expressed condolences for Father Callahan's family and urged local Catholics to remember him in their prayers.
"Father Callahan should be remembered as a priest of the church who sought to serve where he was needed," the statement read, "and who faithfully returned to his home diocese to take a parish assignment at the urging of his bishop."
Father Callahan was born and raised in Detroit. He earned his bachelor's degree in education at St. Francis College in Loretta, Pa. He earned master's degrees in philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky., and theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati. He also did post-graduate work in education management at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Fordham University in New York City, where he earned his doctorate.
Ordained in Covington, Ky. in 1969, Father Callahan became an associate priest at Christ the King Church in Lexington, Ky. In 1972, he also began teaching at Lexington Catholic High School.
He became superintendent of schools in the diocese of Covington and Lexington in 1982 and was named vice president for religious affairs at Bellarmine-Ursuline College in Louisville in 1989.
He was named superintendent in Dallas in 1994.
Father Callahan wanted to be a priest from childhood, said his twin brother, Lawrence Callahan of Fort Wright, Ky.
"Early on, he always had a desire to help other people and work for the underprivileged," his brother said. "He was a huge believer in education. He was happy wherever he went."
At the time of his death, Father Callahan was assistant pastor of St. Thomas Church in Fort Thomas, Ky., where he planned to become pastor in July 1999, when the parish priest retired.
In addition to his brother, Father Callahan is survived by two sisters, Patricia Bingham of Detroit, and Mary Sutton of Southgate, Ky.; and a second brother, Frank Callahan of Crescent Springs, Ky.
Father Callahan, 58, collapsed while playing tennis in Covington, Ky.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. He will be buried in the church's cemetery on Tuesday.
Father Callahan resigned in December as superintendent of schools in the Dallas Diocese after a controversial four-year tenure. He had won praise from some administrators but angered many parents by centralizing authority at diocese headquarters, replacing popular administrators and dismantling some parish-level school boards.
In a prepared statement released Thursday, diocese officials expressed condolences for Father Callahan's family and urged local Catholics to remember him in their prayers.
"Father Callahan should be remembered as a priest of the church who sought to serve where he was needed," the statement read, "and who faithfully returned to his home diocese to take a parish assignment at the urging of his bishop."
Father Callahan was born and raised in Detroit. He earned his bachelor's degree in education at St. Francis College in Loretta, Pa. He earned master's degrees in philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky., and theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati. He also did post-graduate work in education management at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Fordham University in New York City, where he earned his doctorate.
Ordained in Covington, Ky. in 1969, Father Callahan became an associate priest at Christ the King Church in Lexington, Ky. In 1972, he also began teaching at Lexington Catholic High School.
He became superintendent of schools in the diocese of Covington and Lexington in 1982 and was named vice president for religious affairs at Bellarmine-Ursuline College in Louisville in 1989.
He was named superintendent in Dallas in 1994.
Father Callahan wanted to be a priest from childhood, said his twin brother, Lawrence Callahan of Fort Wright, Ky.
"Early on, he always had a desire to help other people and work for the underprivileged," his brother said. "He was a huge believer in education. He was happy wherever he went."
At the time of his death, Father Callahan was assistant pastor of St. Thomas Church in Fort Thomas, Ky., where he planned to become pastor in July 1999, when the parish priest retired.
In addition to his brother, Father Callahan is survived by two sisters, Patricia Bingham of Detroit, and Mary Sutton of Southgate, Ky.; and a second brother, Frank Callahan of Crescent Springs, Ky.
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