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....."