Francis Sullivan Obituary, Death – On November 17, 2022, Father Francis Sullivan, C.Ss.R., of the St. John Neumann community at Stella Maris in Timonium, MD, died at the age of 88 and seven months. Fr. Frank is survived by his brother-in-law, Reading’s Richard T. Griffin; 17 loving nieces and nephews; 42 grandnieces and grandnephews; Redemptorist confreres; and many friends from his life and ministry. Fr. Sullivan was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph F. and Helen M. Sullivan, as well as his six siblings, Catherine M. Sullivan, Helen T. Collins, Joseph F. Sullivan, Jr., Brother James L. Sullivan, CFX, Edward H. Sullivan, and Dorothy A. Griffin.
Father Frank, as he was called, was born on May 5, 1934, in Boston to Joseph F. and Helen. (Mulhern). He is Fr. John Collins, C.Ss.R.’s uncle. On May 27, 1934, he was baptised at Gate of Heaven Church in Boston, but he was confirmed at the Redemptorist OLPH Mission Church in Boston, where he also attended the parochial school. From 1947 until 1957, he attended the Redemptorist juvenate at St. Mary’s, North East, PA, and professed temporary vows on August 2, 1954, at St. Mary’s, Ilchester, MD. His final profession was made on September 2, 1957, at Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary in Esopus, NY, where he was also ordained to the priesthood on June 21, 1959. The tirocinium was created between 1960 and 1961 at St. Mary’s in Annapolis.
Father Frank’s first posting was to the Brazilian Vice-Province of Campo Grande. He served in Bela Vista from 1961 to 1965, Monte Alegre from 1965 to 1967 (where he joined the Mission Band after six months), and Antonina from 1967 to 1970, when he was rector. He lived in the United States from September 1967 to January 1968 before moving on to Telemaco Borba, where he served as rector from 1970 to 1972. Following that, he served as vicar in San Antonio, Campo Grande from 1972 to 1975; Ponta Pora from 1975 to 1977; San Antonio, CG from 1977 to 1978; Curitiba III from 1978 to 1979; Telemaco Borba from 1980 to 1984; Ponta Grossa I from 1984 to 1985; Curitiba from 1985 to 1987; and Campo Grande I from 1987 to 1989. Between 1988 until 1993, he was appointed as a pro tem to the OLPH Boston community. Father Frank became involved in the Cursilho de Cristandade movement in Brazil, where he built a significant cadre of catechists. He eventually became the Cursilho’s diocesan director. He was also the procurator of the Vice-Province of Campo Grande and a consultant.
In 1993, he came to the United States permanently, and in August of that year, he began a sabbatical that lasted until December at the Oblate School of Theology in Texas, where he studied with Fr. Andrew Carr. From 1994 to 1996, he was posted to St. Patrick in Enfield, CT; St. Peter’s in Philadelphia from 1996 to 1998; and St. Clement in Saratoga Springs from 1998 to 2001. Fr. Frank served in Saratoga from 2001 to 2006. From 2001 to 2019, he returned to the Mission Church, where he worked as an associate pastor alongside fellow Bostonians John Lavin, Richard Furey, and John Devin. He volunteered at St. John Chrysostom in West Roxbury, MA, while attending Mission Church. As a result of health difficulties, he was assigned to St. John Neumann Residence, Stella Maris, Timonium, MD, on December 2, 2019. Lord, grant FRANK eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon him. May FRANK’s soul, as well as the souls of all the faithful departed through God’s compassion, rest in peace. Amen.