Fr McCollough was a former Anglican clergyman and was ordained as a Catholic on 24 May 1997. He was Assistant Priest at Rayleigh, serving with Fr Andrew Dorricott, from 1997 until 2003 and was then appointed Parish Priest of Becontree from 2003 until his retirement in 2006. He died in Southend Hospital on 29 March 2024.
The Requiem Mass for Fr John will be celebrated on Thursday 11 April at 10 am at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Joseph, Leigh-on-Sea. His body will be received into the church on Wednesday 10 April at 4.30 pm followed by Vespers of the Dead.