Father Mike Horan, MSC, a native of Ireland who was a longtime pastor in the Archdiocese of San Antonio at several parishes and late of Coolnageragh, Scartaglen and Brosna Road, Castleisland, died on December 2 at the St. Francis Nursing Home in San Antonio following a series of health challenges in recent years.
He was born on Dec. 14, 1953, in Killarney, Ireland, to Dennis “Denny” and Maria Crowley Horan. He was the oldest of seven children, and raised with siblings Moss, Dennis Martin, Catherine, Paudie, John, and Carol in their hometown of Castleisland, County Kerry.
He studied Philosophy and Theology at Milltown Institute in Dublin, Ireland; Modern Languages at Lancaster Polytechnic in Coventry, England; Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at St. James Church of England in Portsmouth; and was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 6, 1980, in Sacred Heart Church in Cork City.
Father Horan served as a teacher, dean, and rugby coach at Princethorpe College in Warwickshire, England, from 1980 to 1985.
He came to the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1985 and served as associate pastor at St. Patrick’s Church in San Antonio from 1985 to 1988, pastor of Holy Redeemer Church in San Antonio from 1988 to 1989, pastor of St. Louis Church in Castroville from 1989 to 2001, pastor of St. Luke Church in San Antonio from 2001 to 2007, pastor of Holy Name Church in San Antonio in 2007 to 2008, parochial vicar of St. Matthew Church in San Antonio from 2008 to 2010, parochial vicar of Church of the Holy Spirit in San Antonio from 2010 to 2012, administrator of Christ the King Church in San Antonio from 2012 to 2019, and pastor of St. Dominic Church in San Antonio from 2019 to 2023, prior to his retirement.
Father Horan also held a master’s degree in counseling from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and his hobbies included tennis, golf, coaching, hunting, bowling, and travel.
He began a mission in El Salvador 20 years ago, building places of worship for the locals to celebrate Mass, and also classrooms where the young and old could study scripture. They are now focused on beginning a new project in Ciudad Toledo where they will begin building a clinic and a chapel. The country of El Salvador has been ravaged by violence for many years.
Father Horan is preceded in death by his parents, the late Denny and Maura (nee Crowley); siblings, Denis Martin and John and his sister, Catherine (Reidy); Moss (Coolnageragh); Paudie (Glenflesk) and Carol (Butler). He is missed by his brothers, sister, sisters-in-law Kathleen, Peggy and Kathleen, brothers-in-law John and Brendan, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and communities in Texas.
A memorial rosary and eulogy will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at St. Louis Church at 1306 Angelo Street in Castroville. A second memorial rosary and eulogy will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, at St. Luke Church at 4603 Manitou Drive in San Antonio. A Requiem Mass will take place in the Church of St. Stephen and St. John, Castleisland, Ireland, on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.
