Litany of Saints
No likeness on file

Joseph Shanahan

Irish Spiritan missionary bishop of Onitsha and founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary

Servant of GodFull write-upIreland
Born
4 June 1871
verified
Died
25 December 1943
verified
Beatified
—
not yet
Canonised
—
not yet

Who they were

Bishop Joseph Shanahan CSSp led the Catholic mission in south-eastern Nigeria, building a wide network of schools, and founded the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary at Killeshandra in 1924.

The miracles

No miracle has been approved. The cause is at its first stage.

Why that counted as sanctity

His cause for canonisation was introduced at Onitsha cathedral on 15 November 1997.

The cause

The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.

A miracle approved by the Holy See is needed for the next step. If you know the postulation’s own page, tell us and it will be added here.

Sources

Checked against the sources listed on 24 September 2026. Corrections welcome.

All saints · About this site · Report a mistake on this page