Father Curran was born Jan. 24, 1942, in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, to Agnes Loretta (Sebeskie) and Joseph Arthur Curran. The youngest of six children, he attended Catholic schools in Shamokin before entering the seminary at Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, where he completed high school, college and theological studies. He also earned a master’s degree in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame in Atlanta.
Father Curran was the last priest to be ordained in Atlanta by Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan. He was ordained on May 20, 1967, at the Cathedral of Christ the King.
After a year at St. Thomas More Church in Decatur, he served in the religion department at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta. In 1970, he was assigned to St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville. In 1971, he was assigned as a parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Christ the King. Father Curran’s first pastorate was at St. Anna Church, Monroe, where he ministered to 100 families at the church and its Winder and Madison missions. He then went to St. Mary’s Church in Rome from 1973 to 1976 to lead the parish community as its pastor.
Father Curran returned to the Pontifical College Josephinum, where he was a member of the formation team. He spent four years there and worked one-on-one with seminarians, helping them to discern what was happening in their prayer journeys. In a Georgia Bulletin story on his 25th jubilee Father Curran called returning to his alma mater a “rich but humbling experience.”
After coming back to Atlanta in 1980, he served at St. Thomas More Church and then as pastor of St. Joseph Church, Dalton.
Other parishes served by Father Curran include St. Jude the Apostle Church, Atlanta; Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain; and Queen of Angels Church, Thomson. From 1995 to 2003, Father Curran was pastor of St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville.
Following ministry at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta, and St. Brigid Church, Johns Creek, Father Curran retired for a time to Pennsylvania to care for family. He then returned to Roswell.
During his time at Queen of Angels, Father Curran was known as an ambassador for Catholics in the Thomson area. He served as president of the McDuffie County Ministerial Association to meet with other Christian ministers and to hold ecumenical services.
Father Curran preferred to cook at home and would invite others to join him to combat the loneliness that often affects priests. One of his traditions was to have a special meal on March 4, the feast day of St. Casimir, patron saint of Poland. Using his Polish mother’s recipes, he served up specialties including savory galumpkis. He invited fellow priests with Polish connections and other friends to the meals. He also regularly attended symphony concerts.
His friend, the late Father Joseph Fahy, CP, acknowledged Father Curran’s gift of friendships, encouragement of the ministry of others and his talent for the liturgy.
“Wherever he’s gone, he has tried to make the house of God an inviting place for prayer and worship,” said Father Fahy in a 1992 interview about his brother priest.
In addition to his parish ministry, Father Curran was also a chaplain for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home in Atlanta
He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings Rose Marie Latsha of Shamokin, Pennsylvania; Kathleen Ellen Berran of Shamokin; James A. Curran of Milltown, New Jersey, and Gerald F. Curran of Pequea, Pennsylvania; and paternal aunts Kathleen Curran, Anna Curran and Helen Curran, all of Shamokin.
Father Curran is survived by his brother, Joseph P. Curran of New Haven, Connecticut, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. He remained connected throughout his life to many of his maternal cousins.
A funeral Mass will be Tuesday, July 7, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Rd NE in Atlanta. Bishop Joel M. Konzen, SM, will celebrate the Mass. The burial will immediately follow Mass at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs.
