Monday, September 2, 2024

Mark Kintzley RIP August 30, 2024

 

Mark A. Kintzley

Mark A. Kintzley

Apr 25, 1942 - Aug 30, 2024

Mark A Kintzley was born to Francis and Marie Kintzley on April 25th 1942 and passed away peacefully on August 30th 2024. He was the fourth oldest of 15 children.

He attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School, was in the Seminary for 2 years and graduated from Fort Collins high school. He joined the Marine Corps in 1964, served in Vietnam, received a Purple Heart and was Honorably discharged in 1967.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his oldest brother Pat.

He is survived by his wife Dolores (Dee) and his seven children: Mark II (Joy), Steve (Cynthia), Cathy, Courtney (Nick), Alissa (Ryan), Kari and Jack (Kaylee). He has 18 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.

He had an immeasurable love of life, God and family.

A viewing will be held at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins on Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, followed by a Rosary service at 6:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins on Thursday, September 5th, 2024 at 9:30 am. Mark will receive a Graveside Service with Military Honors at Cheyenne National Cemetery in Cheyenne, Wyoming on Friday, September 6th, 2024 at 11:00 .

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Pathways Hospice.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Deacon Don Zirkel RIP 1/23/2023

 https://thetablet.org/deacon-donald-zirkel-former-editor-of-the-tablet-dies-at-95/

Don Zirkel, Bay Shore Alum, passed away in January, 2023.  He was in the same class as Montfort Priests Gene Lynch, Pat Gaffney, Eddie McCarthy, Willie Vigliotta, Francis Crimmins and Deacon John McLeod. He left the community after novitiate year in Nicolet, Canada.  I believe they were the last group of Americans to do novitiate there.  No doubt they had an interesting and joyful reunion.

Deacon Don Zirkel with his wife, Marie, after his ordination in 1979. A vocal critic of the Vietnam War, Zirkel penned a joint editorial on Jan. 19, 1973, with six other Catholic newspapers across the U.S. protesting the morality of the conflict.


Thursday, July 25, 2024

Gerald Fitzsimmons SMM (Fitzie) - RIP




Reverend Gerald Joseph Fitzsimmons, S.M.M., a Montfort Missionary priest, died July 19, 2024 after a

courageous battle with the paralyzing disease ALS; he was 76 years old. Born July 11, 1948, the son of Donal and Hazel (O’Reilly) Fitzsimmons, Fr. Fitz was raised in St. Teresa of Avila Parish in South Ozone Park and attended High School at Montfort Seminary in Bay Shore from 1962-1966. Completing his novitiate year at Montfort Novitiate in Hartford City, Indiana, he professed vows August 15, 1967. He received his undergraduate degree and Master of Divinity from St. Louis University, and was ordained a priest February 22, 1975. He exercised a long and fruitful parish ministry, first at Infant Jesus Parish in Port Jefferson, 1974-1979, and then at St. Mary Gate of Heaven, Ozone Park, from 1981 – 1986 as Associate Pastor and again from 2009 as Pastor. Father Fitzsimmons had a special calling and gift as a preacher of parish missions and retreats and from 1987 till his illness confined him, he travelled and preached across the United States, at times with a Team of Montfortians and lay people or alone. From 1993-2006 he served as Provincial Superior of the Montfort Missionaries in the United States. For many years Fr. Fitzsimmons assisted both nationally and internationally in helping victims of clergy abuse with a ministry of compassion, wisdom, and justice. His work with Confreres around the Congregation in education on protection of vulnerable people, and the supervision of those who committed abuse, was foundational and ground breaking. He will be dearly missed and remembered by his brothers and sisters in the Montfortian Family, and by the extraordinary number of people whose lives have been touched by Fr. Fitzsimmons in his nearly fifty years of priesthood. Reflecting on our Confrere’s life and ministry reminds us of the Epitaph at the tomb of our Father, St. Louis Marie de Montfort: “Traveler, what do you see? A Light quenched, a man consumed by the fire of charity, who became all things to all people…. A priest of Christ, he showed Christ in his actions and preached him everywhere in his words…. Indefatigable, he rested only in his grave. Father of the poor, protector of orphans, reconciler of sinners…. His death was the image of his life; as he lived so he died.”

Monday, July 8, 2024

John Breslin, SMM - RIP

ECHO MONTFORTAIN --- FR. JOHN BRESLIN, SMM

Litchfield 1953
Born: July 27, 1929
First Profession: September 15, 1950
Ordination: February 25, 1956
Death: July 5, 2024


John Breslin was born July 27, 1929 in South Ozone Park, NY. He was the son of John and Catherine Breslin. He did his Secondary Studies at Montfort Preparatory Seminary in Bay Shore, NY, followed by his novice year at Marybrook Novitiate in Hartford City, Indiana where he made First Profession on September 15, 1950. John proceeded to the Major Seminary in Litchfield, CT and was ordained to the priesthood there on February 25, 1956.

John’s desire always was to be a missionary, and –if possible – a medical missionary. After four years as teacher in the Minor Seminary at Bay Shore, in 1960 John was sent to the missions in Borneo, Indonesia where at that time some American Confreres were working with the Dutch Confreres. Then, in 1965 he was transferred to Haiti and in the mission post of Mole St. Nicolas, he consistently tried to offer simple, direct medical care to the poor. He organized groups of volunteer nurses and doctors to work at his

in Haiti 

clinics, and strive to provide the best medical care possible under difficult circumstances. Finally, in 1984, at the age of 55, his dream came true: he was accepted into Medical School at San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. Graduating with his MD degree in 1988, “Doctor John” began to work as priest and medical doctor in the Dominican Republic and then again in Haiti, working in both hospitals and parishes.

After decades of missionary life “ad gentes” John returned to the United States, to our community at Bay Shore. From there he assisted at various parishes near and far, using his language gifts of French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish to minister to a broad section of immigrants new to the United States. These last few years, health concerns and age confined him to our Montfort Residence in Bay Shore. This was a great trial and sacrifice for “Father John”, the missionary who was always on the go, and for “Doctor John”, the physician who could no longer care for patients. Increasingly weighed down with various infirmities, he passed over to God and to his dear ones on July 5, 2024.

In many ways, Fr. John Breslin literally tried to carry out Jesus’ commission to his Apostles: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature…. In my name, they will speak new languages… they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover…” (Mark 16:15 – 18).

May the Lord Jesus now welcome his faithful servant into the joy of his Master!

 

From Brian Harrington:

Dear current and former Montfortians,
 
With profound sadness, I write to share news received yesterday evening from Fr. Bill Considine. An obituary he sent is attached for your further information.
 
Fr. Breslin passed away on July 5, 2024, at the age of 94. A funeral Mass for him will be celebrated Monday, July 15, 2024, at St. Patrick's Church in Bay Shore, NY. Should you wish to attend, details should be obtainable by contacting the church rectory at: 631-665-4911 Ext 100
 
John Breslin enrolled at Montfort Prep in 1943. At the time of his enrollment, he and his parents were living in the town of Richmond Hill in Queens County. He completed High School and Junior College on Saxon Avenue before his Investiture in 1949.
 
My relationship with and respect for John Breslin was particularly deep and had extended over the past 67 years. My father was born and raised in Richmond Hill and my parents and John Breslin's parents knew one another well before I enrolled at Bay Shore in 1955.
 
Like John, I spent 6 years on Saxon Avenue. During that time, he became my chemistry teacher, confessor and spiritual advisor. His spirituality, intellectual curiosity and commitment to missionary Christianity were personal characteristics I found impossible to ignore.
 
I could share dozens of great stories about Fr, Breslin before you would finally beg me to keep quiet. The most memorable of these happened in the chem lab at Bay Shore. Our class was conducting a learning experiment to produce hydrogen gas and demonstrate its flammability. This involved combining sulfuric acid and zinc in a very expensive glass vessel called a Kipp generator. A mistake by me, produced a deafening explosion that destroyed the Kipp generator, sprayed sulfuric acid on our clothing and shards of glass to fly into bare flesh of those observing nearby.
 
By some miracle, we all narrowly escaped serious injury. Realizing how lucky we all were, John Breslin recommended that the best course of action thereafter was to say nothing about the event to anyone. So far as I know, we all took his advice.
 
I would like to extend my personal condolences to all of John Breslin's confreres, family and friends. He will surely be welcomed into the loving arms of God and to the eternal happiness he so richly deserves.
 
Brian Harrington
Investiture class of 1961
 
From Ed Dilgen:
 
John's last two years in Litchfield before his ordination were my first two years there. I remember him as multi-talented and adventurous guy. Among his many accomplishments he set up a Rube Goldberg arrangement by which his alarm clock, instead of ringing, turned on the light in his room. Never asked why.
He also set up a ski tow on the hill behind the garage-backyard.  Skis were in short supply so nobody, except maybe John, did much skiing.
My keenest memory of him  was the day before he was to leave Litchfield to go home and celebrate his first Mass in his home parish in Richmond Hill. Bright student that he was, he had no problem in the oral Scripture exam answering questions about the origin of biblical texts, many of which were traceable back to an early Hebrew translation often cited in our Scripture textbook as the LXX.  He was breezing along until the professor, Floyd Marleau, SMM of happy memory, asked him "What is this LXX you keep mentioning?"  John didn't know it referred to the seventy Hebrew scholars who created the LXX version from earlier manuscripts. That didn't need to be a big problem until John frankly (and somewhat prophetically) advised Father Marleau that he did not expect to be asked that question when he was working in the Misssions. Floyd did not appreciate that answer and John spent an extra day in Litchfield re-taking the oral Scripture exam.
I wonder if the question ever came up. In any case, John did become a certified MD and spent many years in the Missions, no doubt "smelling like the sheep".
"Well done, good and faithful....."

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Gil Daniell, BayShore, 1964 - RIP

 


Gilbert Daniell passed away at age 78, on April 4, 2022 in Ocala, Florida. 

A native of Huntington Station, New York, Gil enrolled at Montfort Prep in 1959 as a High School freshman. His investiture class was combined with the class of 1958, and all were sent to novitiate in Hartford City in 1964. First profession of vows for members of both classes took place in August of 1965.
 
As the American Province discontinued operation of their college programs, SMM seminarians were enrolled at St. Louis University to complete their collegiate credits. Gil received a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from SLU in 1967.
 
Thereafter, in the wake of Vatican II and its impact on the Church in North America, Gil departed the SMM. Later, he abandoned continued graduate study of Theology and his goal of priestly ordination. In 1970 he established what became a successful real estate business in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Early retirement in Florida followed.
 
Despite his long SMM tenure, I didn’t know him well. I remember Gil as a quietly thoughtful, well-respected confrere of deep faith and scholarly demeanor. May he rest in peace. 
 
Brian Harrington
Investiture Class of 1961
 
 

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Peter McGorry, Bayshore 1964- RIP


Pete, second from right, with Jack Coyne, Ben Colbert, Ed Dilgen and Lou Miller, at Niagara Falls, August, 2023

Peter D. McGorry, 78, most recently of Dubuque, Iowa, passed away Friday evening, March 1, 2024. His daughter and 3 sons were at his side and his passing was peaceful. Peter had recovered from open heart surgery and valve replacement in 2021 but was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor in December 2023. Although surgery at the University of Iowa Medical Center removed most of the tumor, life expectancy was measured in months. Peter declined further treatment and entered hospice care in Dubuque.
 
Peter was born in Bay Shore, NY on December 16, 1945, the second of 6 children born to Tom and Jean McGorry. He attended grammar school at St Patrick's Catholic School, then enrolled at Montfort Preparatory Seminary in Bay Shore in 1959. During his teen years, Peter spent his summers at his uncle's ranch in Absarokee, Montana and enjoyed working as a ranch hand herding cattle, baling hay and rounding up stray dogies. He was invested into the Company of Mary in May,1964 and entered Marybrook Novitiate in August. In March 1965 he left seminary life and returned home to Bay Shore. He attended Farmingdale College and St John's University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in history.
 
Peter married Joan Brochu on August 9, 1969, at St Bridgit's Catholic Church, Westbury, NY Peter and Joan began their married life in Port Jefferson and Peter began his teaching career in the History Department at Central Islip High School in August 1969. After 3 years at CIHS, Peter and Joan relocated to the Midwest, initially living in Kenosha, WI, then moving to Minnesota where Pete taught English Composition and History at the Breck School in Golden Valley, MN. During the summers of those years, Pete earned a master's degree in American History from Montana State University in Boseman. While at Breck, Pete learned to write computer software and reinvented himself as an IT guy. He had his own IT business in Cannon Falls, MN for a number of years until he fell ill with type1 diabetes in his mid40s. Once his diabetes was under control, Peter went to work for the National Methodist Church, initially in Chicago, then in Nashville, TN in the IT Department where he worked until retirement in 2012. 
 
Peter and Joan then returned to Northfield, MN to be closer to their children and grandchild.  Pete then returned to his first love and passion: teaching, working with elementary age children to improve their reading skills. He especially relished working with children with disabilities with the express purpose of making their lives better. He continued to work as a reading specialist until his wife Joan died in 2017, when Peter moved to Dubuque, IA to be close to his daughter.
 
Peter was a remarkable, loving, kind and compassionate man. He never had a bad word to say about anyone nor did anyone ever say a bad word about him. He was deeply concerned about the atrocities we as a country have committed against Native Americans both historically and currently.  He shared his concerns with the hope that such atrocities never happen again.
 
Peter is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Jean McGorry, and by his wife Joan. It was the great tragedy of Peter's life to lose Joan after more than 48 years of marriage and he missed her every day thereafter.
 
Peter is survived by his daughter, Beth of Dubuque, IA, and 3 sons: Peter (Jean) of Big Lake, MN, and fraternal twins Matthew of Minneapolis, MN and Christopher of Boulder, CO; grandchildren Luke and Kiera and 5 siblings; Sister Jean Ellen CSJ, Eileen, Patricia, Tom and David.
 
Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, April 27th at 10am at St Dominic's Catholic Church, Northfield, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the church service.