Background
Edward McGurkin was born in Hartford, Connecticut to Michael and Katherine (Gleason) McGurkin.
Edward McGurkin was born in Hartford, Connecticut to Michael and Katherine (Gleason) McGurkin.
He was educated in the Hartford public schools before enrolling at Saint Thomas Preparatory Seminary.
He served as the Bishop of Shinyanga from 1956-1975. He was ordained a priest on September 14, 1930. After his ordination McGurkin served as the English Editor of the Fides News Service and personal secretary to Cardinal Pietro Fumasoni Biondi, the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples.
In 1935 he became the Procurator General.
He was assigned as a missionary in Fushun, Manchuria in 1938. During World World War II he was interned by the Japanese.
He returned to the United States in 1946 and became a spiritual director at Maryknoll and two years later the local superior. On July 4, 1956 Pope Pius XII appointed McGurkin as the first bishop of Shinyanga.
Edward McGurkin was consecrated a bishop on October 3, 1956 in the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut by Archbishop Henry O"Brien.
The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Frederick Donaghy, M.M. of Wuchow and Lawrence Shehan of Bridgeport. McGurkin attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. He served as the diocesan bishop until his resignation was accepted by Pope Paul VI on January 30, 1975.
He died on August 28, 1983 at the age of 78.
His funeral Mass was celebrated in the Queen of Apostles Chapel on August 31, 1983 by Bishop John Comber, M.M. He was buried in the Maryknoll Center Cemetery.
