NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Rev. Thomas Fredrick McNally, C.S.C., 98, died at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Indiana, on December 30, 2025, after a short illness.
Fr. McNally, C.S.C., was born in Winnetka, Illinois, on February 5, 1927, to Thomas and Isabel (Burnham) McNally and is the third of five children. After graduating from Campion High School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1944, he attended the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1949. After college, he worked for United Press in Chicago, Illinois, Omaha, Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, until he heard the call to serve God in 1955. He entered the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Jordan, Minnesota, on September 27, 1955, and made First Vows on September 28, 1956. From 1957-1961, he studied four years of theology at Holy Cross College in Washington, D.C., before being ordained a Holy Cross Priest on June 7, 1961, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
After ordination in 1961, Fr. McNally began a one-year pastoral apprenticeship at the University of Notre Dame before being assigned as editor and publisher of the Catholic Boy and Catholic Miss magazines until 1969. From 1967-1972, he served as assistant superior for St. Joseph Hall at the University of Notre Dame before being assigned as rector at Grace Hall until 1976. From 1977-1979, he served as superior for Old College at the University of Notre Dame. In 1980, he moved to California to begin his ministry at St. Clement Parish in Hayward until 1986, before serving in the District of Chile for one year from 1987 to 1988. In 1988, he returned to Notre Dame to assist at the Holy Cross Mission Center until 1989. From 1989 to 1994, he served as pastor of St. Stephen Parish in South Bend, Indiana, before returning to St. Clement Parish as associate pastor from 1995-2001. In 2001, he served as associate pastor at Holy Cross/St. Stanislaus Parish in South Bend, Indiana, for one year, before residing at Moreau Seminary until 2005. From 2005-2007, he assisted at St. Adalbert and St. Casimir Parishes in South Bend, Indiana. From 2007-2018, he resided at Our Lady of Fatima House in Notre Dame, Indiana. During this time, he also served as chaplain for the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana. From 2018 until his death, he resided at Holy Cross House in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Preceding Fr. McNally in death are his parents, sisters Patricia Dillon and Joan Eagan, and brothers Donald and Lawrence McNally. He is survived by many beloved nieces and nephews.
A Wake Service will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Moreau Seminary and Scholasticate, Notre Dame, Ind. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, Indiana. You may join via livestream at https://funerals.holycrossusa.org.
Burial will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery at Notre Dame. Kaniewski Funeral Home, South Bend, is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorial contributions in support of the mission and ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross can be made to: United States Province of Priests and Brothers, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 765, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0765 or online at https://donate.holycrossusa.org.
