John "Jack" Connor

1949 - 2020

The Rev. John "Jack" Connor, C.P., died Saturday evening at Allied Hospice Unit after an illness lasting several years.

Son of the late Anthony and Rose Gavin Connor, he was born and raised on the West Side of Scranton. Father Jack was born on the Feast of St. Ann, July 26, 1949, and graduated from West Catholic High School. While in high school, he was employed as a receptionist at St. Ann's Monastery. Upon the beginning of his college years, Father Jack was drafted into the United States Army and service in Vietnam with the Army Medical Corps. Following his return, he completed his college degree at the University of Scranton and earned a MSW from Marywood University.

He began his career as a social worker at Lourdesmont, but set that aside to answer a call to Passionist Religious life and priesthood. In 1979, he entered the Passionist Novitiate at Holy Family Monastery in West Hartford, Conn., and professed his vows as a Passionist in 1980. From 1980-1984, he completed his degree in theology at St. John's University in New York and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Father Jack was ordained to the Passionist priesthood on June 6, 1984.

Following his ordination, Father Jack's ministerial assignments included retreat team member at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center, Pittsburgh, and St. Gabriel's Youth Retreat Center on Shelter Island, N.Y. He went on to become associate pastor at St. Joseph's Monastery Parish in Baltimore, pastor of St. Gabriel's Parish in Greenville, N.C., and St. Ann's Basilica Parish here in Scranton. He also spent several years in campus ministry at the University of Scranton and on the Itinerant Preaching Ministry, giving parish missions and retreats across the Eastern U.S.

Surviving are four sisters, Margaret Prisko; Carol Lewis and husband, Ralph; Barbara Knight and husband, Robert; and Mary Francis Bernardini and husband, D.J.; brother, Tony and wife, Alma; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, all of whom he prized very highly.

In addition to his parents, Father Jack was preceded in death by three sisters, Rosemary Ferguson, Kathy Connor and Jane Siebecker.

The Passionist community and Father Jack's family will have a wake from 4 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday with a prayer service at 6:45 p.m. in St. Ann's Basilica. His Mass of Christian Burial will be in the Basilica at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. All safety precautions will be observed. Interment, St. Ann's Monastery Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be gratefully received by St. Ann's Shrine Basilica, 1233 St. Ann's St., Scranton, PA 18504.

Arrangements by the Thomas J. Hughes Funeral Home Inc., 1240 St. Ann's St., Scranton.