Patrick Thomas O'Reilly

Patrick Thomas O'Reilly (December 24, 1833 – May 28, 1892) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts from 1870 to 1892.

Biography

Early life Patrick O'Reilly was born on December 24, 1833, in Cavan, Ireland, the son of Philip and Mary Conaty O'Reilly. The family immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts. He attended St. Charles's College in Ellicott City, Maryland to study classics, then studied theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland.

Priesthood O'Reilly was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Boston at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on August 15, 1857, by Bishop David Bacon. After his ordination, O'Reilly served as assistant pastor at St. John's Parish in Worcester, Massachusetts. He then went back to Boston to organize St. Joseph's Parish there. In 1864, he returned to Worcester to serve as pastor of St. John's Parish.

Bishop of Springfield Pope Pius IX appointed O'Reilly as the first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Springfield on June 18, 1870. He was consecrated in Springfield, Massachusetts, on September 25, 1870, by Cardinal John McCloskey; at that time, O'Reilly was the youngest bishop in the United States at age 37.

According to author Stephen Kiltonic, O'Reilly was described as tall with "very kind gray eyes that would twinkle with humor". "The old folks, who remember him, speak of his quiet but convincing eloquence, his constant affability and kindness, his abiding trust in God that, to every cloud, gave a silver lining." Author William Byrne described O'Reilly as a supportive manager of his priests, allowing them to make decisions on their own.

Death Patrick O’Reilly died in Springfield of nephritis on May 28, 1892; businesses in Springfield closed for the day. He was buried in the vault below St. Michael's Cathedral in Springfield.