Fr Sean FitzGerald, who served for 15 years as parish priest at St Kessog’s Church in Balloch.
One of Glasgow’s retired and much-loved priests has died. Fr Sean FitzGerald, who served for 15 years as parish priest at St Kessog’s Church in Balloch, Loch Lomondside, died on Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church he had served all his life. He was 83.
Born on Glasgow’s southside, he was educated at Holy Cross, Crosshill, 1944 – 1947, St. Aloysius’ Garnethill, 1947 – 1951, St. Mary’s College Blairs 1951 – 1957 and studied for the priesthood at St. Peter’s College, Cardross, 1957 – 1963.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese by Archbishop Campbell at St Andrew’s Cathedral on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul 1963 and was close to marking his 60th anniversary of priesthood when he died.
His early priesthood saw him posted to a large number of parishes of different types … His first role as a curate was in the newly established parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Dennistoun.
After six happy years there he was sent across the river, close to his roots, to serve as assistant priest St. Mary’s Pollokshaws
In 1973 he was moved to the West End parish of St. Charles Borromeo for a year before crossing the river again to serve as curate in another newly opened parish, Our Lady of Consolation where he also ministered for six years.
In 1980 he was named assistant priest at St. Robert’s in Househillwood and in 1985 was asked to minister in the same role in St. Pius X in Drumchapel.
While there, Cardinal Tom Winning saw his ability to offer support and friendship to his fellow clergy and in 1987 made him Director of the Ministry to Priests Programme.
Fr Sean served as Parish Priest in only two parishes … from 1990- 1995 at St. Brendan’s Yoker and from 1995 to 2010 at St Kessog’s, Balloch, a parish which was close to his heart and where he made many lasting friendships.
He retired in 2010 and took up residence at St Mary’s, Pollokshaws.
Father Fitzgerald died fortified by the rites of Holy Church at St Joseph’s Home, in the care of the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Requiescat in pace.
The funeral arrangements for the late Fr Sean FitzGerald have now been finalised. Reception of Remains and Vigil will take place at Saint Mary Immaculate, Pollokshaws, on Friday 9th June at 6.30 pm. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint Mary’s on Saturday 10th June at 11.30 am with burial thereafter at the Linn Cemetery. Requiescat in pace.
OBITUARY: Fr Henry Parkinson
One of Glasgow’s oldest Irish priests has died at the age of 91. Fr Henry Parkinson, pictured right, had served as a priest of the Archdiocese of Glasgow since the summer of 1972, having previously been a member of the Kiltegan Missionary Order.
Ordained for the Kiltegan Fathers in 1957, Fr Parkinson left his native home in County Limerick to serve for 10 years in Kenya where he worked in various missions before being appointed to head St. Patrick’s Teacher Training College, Mutane, Kitui, Kenya.
In 1968 he came to Glasgow and was appointed as curate at St Andrew’s Bearsden. Four years later he was incardinated as a Priest of the Archdiocese by Archbishop Scanlan and thus began his ‘second priesthood’.
In 1979 Cardinal Winning asked him to move from Bearsden to become Assistant Priest at St. Peter’s, Partick. That request to move was repeated in 1987 when he was asked to go to Dumbarton.
And it was there that he was to serve out the rest of his priestly ministry, first as Assistant Priest at St. Michael’s, Dumbarton, then Administrator of the parish and finally Parish Priest from 1989-1996.
He retired in 1996. He died peacefully at home in Glasgow on May 17. Requiescat in pace.