Father Joseph O’Brien, S.J.

There are priests who are not distinguished. They are competent, even talented, but they do not stand out as unusual or extraordinary, and they are not believed to have what are called leadership qualities. They are, however, zealous and dedicated. They devote themselves to the humbler, less spectacular ministries, like hearing confessions, or celebrating Mass for ordinary people.

Such priests are the backbone of the Church. They probably will not get awards and marks of recognition, but (as Karl Rahner says) they are the ones who do most to promote the kingdom of God.

Of their number was Father Joseph O’Brien S. J. who died recently. He was not without talent. He had done well in his classical studies and was a competent teacher of Latin and Greek. He had a sense of fun and a sense of humor. He was always cheerful and incurably optimistic. But otherwise he was not colorful. But he had the qualities that really count: zealous, faithful and reliable.

He was one of the many Jesuits of the New York and Maryland Provinces who quietly and without fanfare volunteered for service in the foreign missions. Assigned to the Philippines he first taught Latin and Greek to young Jesuit scholastics at Novaliches. Reassigned to the Ateneo de Manila, besides his teaching, he served for a while as assistant chaplain at the University of the Philippines. And then for many years became the chaplain to serve the thousands of students at the Araneta University.

One of his frustrations as chaplain was less than full support from ecclesiastical authorities. In those days in the 1960s shortly after Vatican II, afternoon Masses were still forbidden except with the explicit permission of the Archbishop. Father O’Brien wanted to celebrate Masses for the thousands of students on first Fridays, and the best time for it was the afternoon. He would write every month for permission and consistently the answer would be no. He confided his frustration to me: "I wonder why I am not permitted. There is nothing involved except the glory of God and the salvation of souls."

In 1963 I was in the hospital and was told that the doctors had done all they could. Not wishing to die without the sacraments. I asked the nun on duty to call the Ateneo and ask Father O’Brien to come with the oils to anoint me. (Actually another priest arrived before him and anointed me). But later I reflected: why was it that when I knew I was in danger of death, the first person I thought of calling was Father Joseph O’Brien? Why he? It must have been because I knew he would always be available. He would never says no.

Last July, happening to be at Loyola Heights, I went to visit Father O’Brien in the infirmary. He was already unconscious. I pronounced over him the words of absolution, and then blessed him. I did it with a feeling that the roles were reversed, that this man should be blessing me instead.

It was like the time when the saintly Father Pedro Arrupe in his sick room in Rome asked me to bless Him and then kissed my hand. The sinner blessing the saint. Except that when a priest gives a blessing, it is not he who blesses, he is merely invoking God to grant his divine blessing.

The Church is holy not only because Christ its founder is holy, and not only because the Church possesses the sacraments which can make people holy; the Church is holy because in fact many of its members are holy, lay persons as well as priests. They do not know it, but in reality they are saints.

Such are the priests whom we think of as "ordinary". But is there really an "ordinary" priest? Does not the fact that he is a faithful and zealous minister of God’s mercy give him an extraordinary character?