The passing of Fr Jack O’Brien

The Southern Cross mourns the death of our long-standing columnist Fr Jack O’Brien OMI, who died at 89 on May 19, 2009, shortly after breaking a hip in a fall.

His provincial superior in the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Fr Terrence Barnard, described Fr O’Brien as a man with a deep and passionate love for the Scriptures and the person of Jesus Christ and a deep and enduring life of prayer.

Fr O’Brien began his monthly column in The Southern Cross in the issue of September 15, 1999, writing about the TV series Touched By An Angel. Several of his columns are archived on this website. Ironically, his final column  which Fr O’Brien filed before breaking his hip  was titled Death leads to Resurrection. (Archive of column articles by Fr O’Brien)

His copy came regularly as clock-work and invariably well before deadlines. Over almost a decade, that is a remarkable record, according to Southern Cross editor Gunther Simmermacher. Fr O’Brien’s articles stood as a testament to a man and pastor who read widely, and was able to bring his broad spread of influences together into one coherent, profoundly pastoral spirituality which always communicated God’s deep love for us.

Fr O’Brien was meticulous about the use of the English language, Mr Simmermacher said. If the sub-editor handling his copy made changes with which he disagreed, Fr O’Brien would be on the phone with us to tell us exactly what he thought of these alterations.

John Gavin O’Brien was born in Johannesburg on December 21, 1919. He made his first oblation as a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate in August 1939 and was ordained to the priesthood on December 21 1945, his 26th birthday.

In his first year of priesthood he taught moral theology at the Oblate Seminary in Cleland, Natal. From 1947 he served in various parishes in Johannesburg diocese, including Germiston, Evaton, Village Main, Kerk Street, Mayfair and Krugersdorp.

From 1963 to 1982 he ministered at the Oblate’s St Benedict’s school in Bedfordview, and from 1984 to 1990 was the chaplain at Marist Brothers College, Linmeyer.

Since 1984 he lived in the Oblate Community at Victory Park. During this time, from 1997 to 2009, he assisted at Immaculate Conception parish in Rosebank.

His Requiem was celebrated at St Charles parish in Victory Park.