Msgr. Joseph A. Koury

Msgr. Joseph A. Koury died peacefully at St. Catherine's Village on Tuesday night September 4, 2012. Visitation will be held Thursday evening September 6, 2012 from 5-7pm at St. Peter's Cathedral with a rosary to be held at 7pm. Visitation will also be held Friday from 9-10am prior to the service at the cathedral. His funeral mass will be concelebrated on Friday, September 7 at 10 am. Interment will follow at 3:00pm in Leland, Mississippi Cemetery. Msgr. Koury served faithfully as a Roman Catholic priest for 62 years throughout Mississippi.

Msgr. Koury was born in Natchez, MS on January 22,1923, and his family moved to Leland, MS in September 1936 to take over his father's deceased brother's business. His father, Albert Joseph Koury, and his mother, Eugenia Germani Koury both came to America from Lebanon. They instilled in their children love of god, love of family, love of their heritage and love of friends. Msgr.

was the 10th generation of his family to enter the priesthood. Msgr. began helping in the the clothing store when he was in the 9th grade until he went to study for the priesthood in 1940. He went to St. Joseph Seminary in Covington, LA which was a minor seminary. He then went to Catholic University in Washington, D.C. which was a major seminary, graduating in May 1950. He was ordained a Catholic priest in Leland in May 1950. He was the first priest to be ordained from the delta area.

Assignments that Msgr. Koury held were: Assistant pastor at St. Michael's in Biloxi, Assistant Superintendent of Catholic Schools, chancery office, Jackson, MS, Diocesan Director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Diocesan Director of Catholic Youth, Diocesan Director of Family Life, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Assistant Pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Yazoo City, Pastor of Delisle Catholic Church, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Starkville, MS, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools and Diocesan Director of Vocations, a member of the Diocesan Building Committee, named Domestic Prelate by the Holy See, appointed Synodal Examiner, member of the Board of Advisors to the Liturgical Apostolate, Pastor of St. John Parish, Oxford, MS & Chaplain of the Newman Apostolate at the University of MS, pastor of St. Elizabeth Parish, Clarksdale, MS, Board of Consultors for three years, Pastor of St. Paul's Catholic Church Vicksburg, MS, appointed Pro-synodal Judge to the marriage court, Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Brookhaven, MS, appointed to Board of Pastors for 5 years, appointed to College of Consultors for 5 years, appointed Dean of Deanery II for two years, retired January 15,1992, appointed Administrator Tempore St. Patrick Catholic Church Meridian, MS, appointed Administrator Pro Tempore Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in West Point, MS and Sacramental Minister at St. John Catholic Church in Eupora, MS, appointed Administrator Pro Tempore at St. Mary Catholic Church in Batesville, MS and its mission at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at Sardis, MS, became member of Holy Savior Catholic Church, Clinton, MS.

Predeasing Msgr.Koury were his parents Albert Joseph and Eugenia Koury, his brother Michael A. Koury and his wife Magdalen Mansour Koury and his uncle A.J. Koury.

Surviving Msgr. Koury is his brother Peter A. Koury and his wife Miriam Buttross Koury, also, his six nephews and nieces. Dr. A. Michael Koury (Kathyrn), Mary Elizabeth Cleary (Jack), Philip J. Koury (Suzanne), Madelyn Rice ( Joe), Peter G. Koury (Laurie) and Paul A. Koury (Tisha).

Msgr. Koury devoted his entire life to God, his church and parishers, his heritage and to his family. Due to his having a photogenic mind and his ability to read most everything published, he was able to have knowledge not only on current church doctrines, but on financial matters and life itself. This made him an outstanding priest on most matters affecting his parishers.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter's Catholic Cathedral, 123 North West Street, Jackson, MS 39201. Catholic Charities, Inc. 200 North Congress Street, Suite 100 Jackson, MS 39201, Holy Savior Catholic Church- 716 Lindale Drive, Clinton, MS 39056, and St. James Catholic Church, Leland, MS.