Fr. John O’Brien grew up only blocks from St. Patrick Church
GREEN BAY — Fr. John O’Brien returned home to St. Patrick’s last week.
A priest of the Diocese of Green Bay for 69 years, Fr. O’Brien died on Nov. 29 at age 95. Visitation and a wake service were held on Dec. 5 and the funeral Mass followed on Dec. 6 at St. Patrick Oratory (formerly St. Patrick Church) in Green Bay.
Fr. O’Brien’s faith was formed at St. Patrick’s while growing up in an Irish community on the west side of the city. He graduated from St. Patrick Grade School in 1943, and, from 1945 to 1951, he sold newspapers on Sundays in front of St. Patrick Church.
His last ministerial appointment was as pastor of St. Patrick Parish from 1982 to 1999.
“It was nice to be close to my family while serving as a priest,” said Fr. O’Brien about his pastorate at St. Patrick’s in a 2005 interview with The Compass in recognition of the 50th anniversary of his ordination. “My family never lived more than three blocks away from the church, so it was close to home.”
Fr. O’Brien attended Central Catholic High School in Green Bay, where he became a boxing champion. He won state titles in the 124-pound class in 1946 and the 148-pound class in 1947.
Following high school graduation, he entered the business program at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. After a year, he decided to pursue the priesthood.
“While I was growing up, I saw priests everywhere serving in so many capacities,” he said in the 2005 interview. “They were teachers, principals, counselors, and they were serving God. I also wanted to serve God and, at that time, becoming a priest was the way.”
Fr. O’Brien attended St. John University in Collegeville, Minn., for his sophomore year as a seminarian for the Diocese of Green Bay. He then returned to Notre Dame to continue his seminarian studies. He boxed in college, winning the Bengal Bout Boxing championship in both 1950 and 1951.
Following Notre Dame, Fr. O’Brien studied theology at St. John Seminary in Collegeville.
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 4, 1955, by Bishop Stanislaus Bona at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay.
Fr. O’Brien’s first priestly assignment was as assistant pastor (parochial vicar) at St. Agnes Parish, Green Bay. He then served at St. Mary Parish, Menasha.
In 1959, after earning a master’s degree in education administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee, he was appointed spiritual director and instructor of religion at Xavier High School in Appleton. A year later, Fr. O’Brien became principal of Catholic Central High School in Marinette.
In 1968, Fr. O’Brien was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish, Greenleaf, where he served for 10 years. He then became co-pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Ashwaubenon, before becoming pastor of St. Mary Parish, Brillion, in 1979.
Fr. O’Brien also served as a First Lieutenant, Chaplain, in the U.S. Army Reserve.
During his time as pastor at St. Patrick Parish, the rose window was restored and the church steeple, which had been removed years earlier, was rebuilt. He was also influential in remodeling the church to make it more handicap accessible.
Fr. O’Brien received honors over the years in association with his alma mater. In 1963, he was named the Green Bay Notre Dame Club Man of the Year. In 1997, he received the Exemplar Award from the University of Notre Dame.
Fr. O’Brien is survived by his sister, Patricia Schneider; sister-in-law Sally O’Brien; and nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Erwin and Margart Alice (Hart) O’Brien; brothers, Fr. Charles O’Brien, Norbertine Fr. Christian “Tom” O’Brien and Michael O’Brien; and brother-in-law Don Schneider.
Fr. Mark Vander Steeg was the principal celebrant at the funeral Mass on Dec. 6. He was an altar server for Fr. O’Brien at St. Patrick’s and when he was ordained to the priesthood in 1999, Fr. O’Brien vested him.
Fr. Bill O’Brien, a cousin, served as the homilist.
Burial followed at Allouez Catholic Cemetery.