The Missionaries of the Precious Blood announce the 50th anniversary of the ordination of Fr. Andrew O’Reilly, C.PP.S.
Fr. O’Reilly, a native of Hartford, Conn., entered the Congregation in 1961 at Brunnerdale, the Missionaries’ former high school seminary near Canton, Ohio. He was ordained in Falls Church, Va., on December 8, 1973.
Fr. O’Reilly spent many years in parish ministry and helping to form the Congregation’s priest and brother candidates. He was active for many years in the retreat and renewal ministry.
After his ordination, he served in several parishes: St. James the Less, Columbus, 1973-75; Immaculate Conception, Celina, Ohio, 1975-79; and Precious Blood, Fort Wayne, 1979-81; and St. Augustine, Rensselaer, Ind., 1984–88.
In 1981, he was named formation director for C.PP.S. seminarians at Mount St. Mary Seminary, then became dean of men at the seminary. Later, he served as formation director for the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood from 1986–90.
Other parishes where he served include St. John the Baptist, Whiting, Ind., 1988-91; Resurrection, Winter Garden, Fla., 1992-98; St. Ann, Haines City, Fla., 1999–2002; and St. Andrew, Orlando, 2002–08.
In Florida, the parishes where Fr. O’Reilly served were multi-cultural; part of the mission was to form parishes united in their diversity.
In 2009, Fr. O’Reilly entered full-time preaching ministry. He preached at parish missions and retreats across the U.S.
In 2019, Fr. O’Reilly retired to St. Charles Center, Carthagena, Ohio. He continues to serve the Congregation and in parishes wherever he is needed.
Fr. O’Reilly has spent his life as a priest helping people see and understand deep in their bones that they are God’s beloved people.
He does this through his enlightened preaching, the harmonious way he presides at liturgies, and just by his cordial presence.
Everywhere he went, he established connections with people, helped them see that they were all on the journey together. Then when their journey got hard, in times of sickness or loss or death, they knew they could turn to Fr. Andy and he would make time to listen, to lean in and offer spiritual support.