It is with bittersweet pleasure that I relay the following announcement made at today's Masses at St. James Catholic Church:
Fr. Cornelius O'Brien will retire on June 28, 2006, and will be returning to Cork County, Ireland, at the beginning of July 2006. Replacing Fr. O'Brien as pastor at St. James will be Fr. Patrick Posey, current pastor of St. Frances de Sales Church in Purcellville, VA.
On a personal note, Fr. O'Brien is a wonderful theologian and priest and one of the most well-studied Thomistic scholars that I have had the pleasure to know personally. Fr. O'Brien has told me that he will devote his time in retirement toward the completion of his book on the Human Person, which will be supported by years of research that he has done in the works of St. Thomas Aquinas and later Thomistic theologians.
Please keep Fr. O'Brien and the task that lies ahead of him in your prayers. And likewise, please keep Fr. Posey in your prayers as he assumes his new responsibilities at St. James.

Please post the time + place + other details of the Farewell Gathering!
Posted by: Peter N Roth | June 13, 2006 at 06:23 PM