Southwark: Funeral of Fr Patrick O'Leary - Church Communications Pioneer

Source: Archdiocese of Southwark

Fr Patrick O'Leary RIP
5th April 1934 - 17th June 2022

The Funeral Mass of the Late Fr Patrick O'Leary, will be celebrated by Archbishop John Wilson on Wednesday 17th August 2022 at 2 pm in St George's Cathedral, Southwark.

Fr Patrick held several appointments as Parish Priest in the Archdiocese and was twice appointed as the Dean of Maidstone. He was also greatly inspired by the Vatican II document on Communications in the Modern World, Inter mirifica, which shaped much of his work.

Fr Patrick was involved in local broadcast media, developing a presence with Radio Medway (later BBC Radio Kent), acting as Advisor to Invicta Radio (later to become Capital Gold and Heart FM, Kent), and serving as the Diocesan Press Officer for the Kent Area of the RC Archdiocese of Southwark.

He was something of a pioneer in the field of Church communications, specifically in the medium of television in promoting the Catholic faith. In 1979 he wrote to Archbishop Michael Bowen when the IBA were about to introduce a Teletext service called 'Oracle', with the idea that this could be an opportunity for the churches in England and Wales to have a dedicated page as a way of promoting and sharing the churches mission and message. Please see his full obituary below for further details.

All are most welcome to attend Fr O'Leary's funeral in person or online: https://youtu.be/jdOuUFN-ZvA

Obituary

Father Patrick O'Leary

5th April 1934 - 17th June 2022

Patrick O'Leary was born on 5th April 1934 in the parish of Vauxhall and was baptised at St Anne's Vauxhall on 23rd April 1934. He came from a family of six children. He was educated at St Stephen's C of E School for one year, before been evacuated to Devon from 1940-45. He returned to St Anne's School in Vauxhall in 1945 and was a pupil there until 1949. During this time he was prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation and was confirmed at St Anne's on 17th March 1946.

Patrick was an altar server at St Anne's and in the reference to the Diocese of Southwark for church students his then parish priest commented on Patrick's devotion to the Sacraments and his attendance at Mass.

Patrick had a sense of vocation from an early age and applied to the diocese in 1956 to be accepted as a church student. As he had not had any formal education since he left primary school he went first, to Campion House, Osterley for a few years before he commenced his studies for the priesthood at St. John's Seminary, Wonersh. He was ordained to the priesthood on 23rd May 1964 by Bishop Cowderory in the seminary chapel.

His first appointment was as an assistant priest in the parish of Wimbledon Common where he served for a year until June 1964. During this time Patrick felt called to the religious life and applied to join the Franciscans at Chilworth, but after a few months in November 1965 he returned to the diocese and was appointed as an assistant priest to Canterbury where he served until May 1969 when he was appointed as an assistant priest at St Joseph's East Greenwich where he served until August 1973. His next appointment was as an assistant priest to English Martyrs Strood in September 1974 where he served until November 1980 when he was appointed as parish priest of Holy Family, Parkwood (Maidstone South).

In his letter of appointment to Fr Patrick, Archbishop Michael wrote "Thank you for the excellent work you have done in Strood over the past six years. You will be greatly missed by the parishioners there. I am glad you feel you will be able to continue your work with Radio Medway and trust the proximity of your parish will prove helpful.

Fr Patrick had always had an interest in the Media and in particular the medium of television in promoting the Catholic faith. He wrote to Archbishop Michael Bowen in 1979 when the IBA were about to introduce a Teletext service called Oracle with the idea that this could be an opportunity for the churches in England and Wales to have a dedicated page as a way of promoting and sharing the churches mission and message. Fr. Patrick was also involved in developing a media presence with Radio Medway and served as the Diocesan Press Officer for the Kent Area and RC Advisor to Invicta Radio.

He was inducted as parish priest on 12th January 1981 by Bishop John Jukes and was to remain there for the next eleven years as parish priest. During this time Father Patrick built up the parish in many ways. In a letter following his visitation of the parish in 1985 Bishop Jukes wrote "I am very grateful to you for the continued work by which you are developing the life of the parish. The whole atmosphere of the parish during the course of my visit was very satisfactory and friendly giving great signs of life and growth"

In 1986 Fr Patrick was appointed as Dean of Maidstone and re-appointed again in 1989. He was also appointed to Chair the Diocesan Art and Architecture Sub Committee of the Diocesan Liturgy Commission by Archbishop Michael in 1988.

After eleven years at Parkwood, Archbishop Michael wrote to Father Patrick in March 1991 to appoint him as parish priest of St Mary's, Chislehurst. In his letter the Archbishop wrote "May I take this opportunity to thank you very warmly for all the excellent work you have done in the parish and as Dean of Maidstone Deanery. I am sure you will be greatly missed. Hopefully, you will be able to maintain your contacts with Radio Medway, and your valuable work on the Art and Architecture Committee.

Father Patrick was inducted at St. Mary's Chislehurst by Bishop Henderson and he served in the parish until his retirement due to ill health in 1999. In his letter accepting his retirement Archbishop Michael wrote "We all understood, with sadness the necessity for you to relinquish your position as parish priest of Chislehurst. I know how well you have served the people of your parish and once again I would like to express my gratitude to you for all your dedicated pastoral care at St Mary's. You will be sorely missed. I am also most grateful to you for your good work as chairman of the Diocesan Art and Architecture Committee for the wise advice you have given from time to time on behalf of the diocese.

Father Patrick went initially to live in retirement with Canon John Bailey where he stayed until 2006. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee of Ordination in 2004. However his own health began to deteriorate again and he moved first to Coloma Court, West Wickham and then in 2009 to St. Peter's Home, Vauxhall where he was to remain as a resident looked after by the Little Sisters of the Poor until his death on 17th June 2022. . He was present at the visit to St Peter's in September 2010 of Pope Benedict XVI during his state visit to the United Kingdom

Father Patrick O'Leary had many other interests and among one not known to many was his skill and expertise in making and repairing mitres, he made a number of white and gold mitres for Archbishop Michael which were used by the Archbishop during his lifetime.

As Father Patrick got older he became more and more frail but was still able to concelebrate at Mass in the chapel at St Peter's almost until the end of his life. He was a man of prayer, a man who lived out his priesthood with care and compassion for those who he was called to serve

Father Patrick O'Leary, a faithful servant of the Lord, a priest of this Archdiocese of Southwark for fifty eight years who died on the morning of 17th June at 8am in St. Peter's Home, having celebrated the Sacrament of the Sick in his 88th year.

May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory