[1] After he returned to Pennsylvania, Corrigan served as an assistant pastor in several parishes, director of the Madonna House and settlement work with Italian immigrants, Director of Catholic Charities in the archdiocese and the Catholic Children’s Bureau.

He also served on the board of directors of the Community Council of Philadelphia (the Welfare Federation), as the state chaplain of the Pennsylvania State Council of the Knights of Columbus, as a judge on the archdiocesan marriage tribunal, moderator of the priests’ vigilance committee and retreat master for the Philadelphia Laymen’s Weekend Retreat League.

During his time as rector Curley Hall was built, and he was among five American Catholic leaders and a politician who condemned Nazi violence against the Jews in a radio broadcast on November 16, 1938.

He was consecrated a bishop by Cardinal Dennis Dougherty, Archbishop of Philadelphia, on April 2, 1940.

The principal co-consecrators were Archbishops Michael Curley of Baltimore-Washington and Edward Mooney of Detroit.