John Joseph Sullivan (July 5, 1920 – February 11, 2001) was an American prelate of theRoman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of theDiocese of Grand Island in Nebraska (1972–1977) and bishop of theDiocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri (1977–1993).

John Sullivan was born on July 5, 1920, inHorton,Kansas, to Walter and Mary (née Berney) Sullivan.^[1] His father worked for theElectro-Motive Company.^[1] When he was age ten, his family toOklahoma City,Oklahoma.^[2] John received his early education at theparochial schools of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he also served as analtar boy to BishopFrancis Kelley.^[1] He attendedSt. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas, for two years before enteringKenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1939.^[1]

Sullivan wasordained to the priesthood by BishopAlbert Lewis Fletcher on September 23, 1944, for theDiocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa at theCathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Oklahoma City.^[3]

Following his ordination, Sullivan became acurate atHoly Family Cathedral Parish in Tulsa, Oklahoma.^[1] He also served as director of Catholic Activities and aschaplain at theUniversity of Tulsa in Tulsa.^[1] BishopEugene J. McGuinness originally intended for Sullivan to studycanon law at theCatholic University of America, but instead assigned him aspastor of St. Mary's Parish inGuthrie, Oklahoma, in 1947.^[1]

While in Guthrie, he recruited college students to work as volunteers among the poor.^[2] Sullivan became pastor of St. James Parish in Oklahoma City in 1959.^[1] From 1961 to 1968, he was national director oflay volunteers for theCatholic Church Extension Society.^[2] Returning to Tulsa, he was named pastor of the Church of the Madalene Parish andepiscopal vicar forEastern Oklahoma.^[2]

On July 25, 1972, Sullivan was appointed the fifth bishop of Grand Island byPope Paul VI.^[3] He received hisepiscopalconsecration at theTulsa Civic Center on September 19, 1972, from ArchbishopJohn R. Quinn, with BishopsJohn L. May andCharles Buswell serving asco-consecrators.^[3] He was installed at theCathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Grand Island on September 21, 1972.^[2]

Sullivan was named the sixth bishop ofKansas City-St. Joseph by Paul VI on June 27, 1977. He was installed on August 17, 1977.^[3] After being diagnosed withParkinson's disease,^[2] Sullivan petitioned the Vatican for early retirement.Pope John Paul II accepted his retirement as bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph on June 22, 1993.^[3]

John Sullivan died on February 11, 2001, at the Jeanne Jugan Center inKansas City, Missouri at age 80.^[2]

• 1920 births
• 2001 deaths
• Kenrick–Glennon Seminary alumni
• University of Tulsa people
• People from Horton, Kansas
• Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
• Roman Catholic bishops of Grand Island
• Roman Catholic bishops of Kansas City–Saint Joseph
• 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
• Religious leaders from Oklahoma

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