John was born in Hutchinson on Dec. 6, 1934 to Arthur Luke McRaith and Marie Hanley McRaith. He grew up with three siblings; James, Jane and Margaret Mary. He graduated from St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of New Ulm on Feb. 21, 1960 by Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler and was first assigned as associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Sleepy Eye from 1960-64. He was then made pastor of St. Michael Parish in Milroy from 1964-67, followed by his service as pastor of St. Leo in the town of St. Leo from 1967-68. He returned to Sleepy Eye in 1968 to serve as both administrator of St. Mary Parish and as superintendent of St. Mary High School. In February 1971 he became pastor of St. Mary Parish; a role he held until December of that year. In 1972 he was appointed director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference – headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa – and held that position until 1978. In 1982, he was ordained as the third Bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro. In addition to shepherding the Catholic Church of western Kentucky, Bishop McRaith served as board member for Brescia University, the Daniel Pitino Center, McAuley Free Clinic in Owensboro, and Lourdes Hospital Foundation in Paducah.

Bishop McRaith was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Marie McRaith; his brother, James “Jim” McRaith; his sister, Jane Moening; niece, Shannon Ekeren-Moening; and nephew, Barry McRaith.

He is survived by his sister, Margaret Mary Madden and the following nieces and nephews: Molly Wahlgren, Meaghen Madden-VanDyke, Matthew Madden, Mary Elizabeth Lehman, Tim McRaith, Dan McRaith, Brian Moening, and Sarah Moening.

On Thursday, March 23, a tractor-pulled wagon will process with the body of Bishop McRaith from Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory (900 Old Hartford Rd.) to St. Stephen Cathedral (610 Locust St.). Mass at the Cathedral will take place at 12:05 p.m. with public visitation following until 8 p.m. A Wake Service is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Cathedral. On Friday, March 24, public visitation will take place at the Cathedral from 8 to 10:45 a.m., with a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Archbishop Joseph Kurtz from the Archdiocese of Louisville will preside with Bishop William F. Medley as concelebrant. Burial will follow at Mount Saint Joseph in Maple Mount, Kentucky.

Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of donations to the Diocese of Owensboro in support of charitable work across the diocese and to Catholic Relief Services.

Online condolences may be left at www.glennfuneralhome.com.

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