| Written by Sara Loftson, The Catholic Register,
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 TORONTO - The oldest living Redemptorist in the world has died at the age of 103. Fr. Thomas O’Brien, CSsR, passed away Oct. 23 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto in his 78th year of religious life.
“He was a renaissance man in a modern sense. He loved great gardens. He loved grand opera. He always dressed well. He always wore his collar,” said Fr. James Mason, CSsR, who travelled with Fr. O’Brien to see opera performances New York City.
Fr. O’Brien was the son of the late John and Mary Ann O’Brien and sibling to five brothers and five sisters where they grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick.
After working as a butcher for four years after high school at the Saint John City Market, Fr. O’Brien studied at St. Mary’s College in Brockville, Ont., and St. Alphonsus Seminary in Woodstock, Ont. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1934 by Bishop Thomas Kidd in Woodstock, Ont.
Throughout his ministry Fr. O’Brien served as assistant pastor of St. Joseph’s parish in Moose Jaw, Sask., Royal Canadian Air Force chaplain in western British Columbia and Alberta, and assistant pastor at St. Patrick’s parish in Quebec City. He also acted as minister at St. Mary’s College, pastor of Holy Redeemer parish in Sudbury, Ont., chaplain to the Redemptoristines female congregation and archivist for the Redemptorist Congregation in Toronto. Then for about 30 years he was pastor at St. Bridget’s Mission in Saint John until he retired in 1997.
Fr. O’Brien took great pride in the personal, professional and above all spiritual accomplishments and milestones at St. Bridget’s, helping it to grow, said a write up on the Redemptorist web site.
“I will remember him most for being a really dedicated priest that was able to draw people to him. He just had that ability. He was well organized and made things happen. He was able to inspire people,” said Mason, the Redemptorist archivist.
Two years ago Fr. O’Brien left Saint John and moved to Toronto where he resided at the Redemptorist Residence at St. Patrick’s Church on McCaul Street.
The funeral was held Oct. 29 at St. Peter’s parish in St. John.
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Sara Loftson, The Catholic Register |
| About the author: |
| Sara Loftson is a freelance writer based in Calgary, Alberta. She holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Winnipeg and a bachelor of journalism from the University of King's College in Halifax. She has written for The Catholic Register, worked for CBC Radio and her work has appeared in Catholic newspapers across Canada. |
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