GREENVILLE – The funeral Mass for Rev. Jeremiah Francis Corcoran, known as Father Frank, was held on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019 at St. Joseph Greenville. He passed away Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 at Delta Regional Medical Center.
He was born Dec. 3, 1930 in Nenagh Co. Tipperary, Ireland to Jeremiah and Julia Mary Corcoran. He was one of eleven children (6 girls and 5 boys). He attended school in Nenagh but went to St. Flannan’s College Ennis, Co. Clare for his high school education and graduated from there in 1948.
His family were active Catholics and prayer, especially recitation of the Rosary, was very strong. Increase of vocations to priesthood was part of those prayers.
In 1948 Father Frank went to St. Patrick Seminary in Carlow to study for the priesthood and was ordained there on June 6, 1954. It was there he met a fellow student named Paddy Haugh who had signed for the Natchez diocese in Mississippi. Paddy had an uncle in that diocese named Monsignor Carey. Father Frank made the decision to study for the Diocese of Natchez. However, Paddy died a year before ordination.
When he came to Mississippi in 1954, he was assigned by his Bishop to Pascagoula, Miss. His first pastor was Monsignor Carey. Father Frank served throughout Mississippi beginning in 1954. He served as assistant at Our Lady of Victories Pascagoula; St. Peter Cathedral Jackson; St. Therese Jackson; and St. Paul Church, Vicksburg. He was Chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Vicksburg and founding Pastor of St. Michael Vicksburg. Father Frank was Diocesan Director of C.C.D., Director of Vocations, Director of Irish Missionary Vocations and sat on the College of Consultors for 3 years. He was Pastor at St. Patrick Meridian; St. Joseph Greenville; St. Therese Jackson; St. John Crystal Springs and its mission St. Martin Hazlehurst. In 2004 he retired to St. Joseph Greenville and at the time of his death he had served for 65 years as a Priest.
Father Frank was preceded in death by parents Jeremiah and Julia Mary Corcoran; brothers, Michael Corcoran (Margaret), Maurice Corcoran and Willie Corcoran; and sisters, Olivia Hayes (James), Eva Creedon (Peter) and Joan Morris (Jimmy).
He is survived by 3 sisters, Mary Dagg, Patricia O’Brien and Ann Flannery (Frank) and brother, Danny Corcoran (Maureen).
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Joseph Greenville.

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – Sister Loretta Beyer, 82 died unexpectedly on Sept. 30, 2019, at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls, Minn.
Loretta Pauline was born on Nov. 27, 1936, in Brushvale, Minn. She was the second of 12 children born to the late Alphonse and Mary Gertrude (Miranowski) Beyer. She attended grade school in Campbell, Minn., and attended St. Francis High School in Little Falls, Minn. Her aunt, Sister Mary David Miranowski, was a member of the Franciscan Sisters.
Loretta entered the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls on July 31, 1954, was accepted as a Franciscan Sister on July 31, 1955 and given the name, Sister M. Loyola. She was a Franciscan Sister for 64 years.
Sister Loretta ministered in St. Cloud, Little Falls and Onamia, Minn. In 1972 Sister Loretta, along with Sisters Louise McKigney and Beverly Weidner, heard the Franciscan call to step out of the “safe zone” and work among the poor as they challenged racism in Holmes County, Miss. They joined a black-led community organizing effort to protest discrimination in hiring and police brutality. In 1982, she and Sister Louise McKigney spent 30 days in jail and received a taste of “justice” usually reserved for black prisoners. The three sisters received the Rural Organizing Worker Reward in 1988 and the Unsung Heroes, Mississippi, Award in 1989. In 2003 they received the Franciscan Federation Reconciler Award at the Federation Conference in Detroit, Mich. Another of Sister Loretta’s contributions was converting weedy vacant lots into gardens. With the help of children and other community members, they supplied vegetables to needy families.
A Mass of Christian Burial took place at St. Francis Convent on Oct. 8. Arrangements were by Shelley Funeral Chapel, Little Falls. Donations to Franciscan Sisters ministries preferred.