Fr. John Hayes OP

1932 - 2016

Fr. John Finbarr Hayes, OP

Fr. John Finbarr Hayes, OP, (84) of Oakland, California. On Tue. Dec. 20, Fr. Finbarr Hayes, OP, completed his 65 years of Dominican religious life and priestly ministry. Born in Cork City, Ireland on Feb. 15, 1932 to Daniel Charles and Margaret (Harrington) Hayes, he was educated in Cork and Skibbereen schools, then under the Dominican Friars at Newbridge. After arriving in San Francisco, John received the Dominican habit in 1950, as well as his religious name, Finbarr. He was ordained to the priesthood on Sept. 21, 1957. He served as Secretary to Fr. Joseph Fulton OP. He became an inspiring preacher while serving at St. Mary Magdalen in Berkeley, Blessed Sacrament in Seattle, and at St. Dominic's in San Francisco. In addition to being Province Archivist, he taught at Dominican College in San Rafael, and was the first prior of St. Dominic's in Eagle Rock. He received his law degree in 1977, which served him well in becoming a resource for elderly and infirm persons managing their wills and estates. Fr. Finbarr spent the last decades of his life among the senior community and student brothers of St. Albert Priory in Oakland, providing wisdom and wonderful stories for many young students of the Order of Preachers. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Charles. He is survived by his brother Michael, sister-in-law Sue, sister-in-law Anne, niece Siobhan, nephews Daniel, Tony, Kevin and John Patrick, grand nephews and his Dominican brothers. Vigil Service (Dec. 27) 7:30pm St. Albert's Priory, Oakland. Funeral Mass (Dec. 28) 10:30am at St. Dominic Church, Benicia. Please visit opwest.org/frfinbarrmemorial to make a gift in honor of Fr. Finbarr.