Homily #252: "Forming Your Heart as a Christian Leader (with Reference to Deacon Gene O'Sullivan)"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnNdNPchfvs

10am Mass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKWMpCNX_yc

8am Mass

At the 8am & 10am Masses today, I mentioned Deacon Gene of St. John's in Milpitas (Diocese of San Jose) and his wife, Lois, to celebrate my 10 year anniversary in the diaconate.

I was an altar server alongside him when I first met him at age 16.

'Found out just this afternoon that his death day (July 12, 2002) is the same day as my wedding anniversary (July 12, 2003) but a year apart.

Kindly say a prayer for the repose of his soul and his wife's soul. Here's his obituary. One of these days, I'll find a photo of him.

Obituary for Deacon Eugene T. O'Sullivan (Lois) from San Jose Mercury News

Eugene T. O’SullivanOBITUARY

O’SULLIVAN, Eugene T.– Born September 23, 1925, in San Francisco, peacefully joined his wife Lois and son John in eternal rest on July 12, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his children: Patricia O’Sullivan, Rosaleen Galluzzi, Daniel O’Sullivan and Kevin O’Sullivan, by his sister, Rosaleen O’Sullivan, R.S.M., by eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, by son and daughters-in-law, and cousins in the San Francisco area and in Ireland.””Deacon Gene”” was ordained a deacon of the Diocese of San Jose in 1983, and served the parishes of Ascension in Saratoga and St. John the Baptist in Milpitas for many years. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the closing days of WWII; his service enabled him to graduate from the University of Washington. He met and married his wife Lois (originally from Connecticut) in 1950 in Richland, Washington, as a young electrical engineer working in the early days of atomic energy.After the birth of their fifth child in 1955, Gene and Lois made several career moves in support of his personal vision for the growth of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, taking their children to southern California, San Jose, Maryland, New Jersey, and finally back “”home”” to the Bay Area. In the mid-seventies, while still living in New Jersey, Gene increasingly felt a stronger call to his faith and began his studies in the deaconate program of Paterson Diocese.His job transferred him back to California, where he formally entered the deaconate and began his service with the church. He particularly enjoyed working with adult catechumens and was a gifted homilist. As a husband, father, brother, and deacon, he was well loved and respected as a good and wise man.Throughout the declining health of his last five years, his incredible spirit and resilience amazed all who knew him. His eternal optimism, his belief in having and following dreams, his quiet humor and twinkling eyes will be deeply missed.The family requests that any memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (of which he was a member). Services have been held.