Rev. Patrick Joseph O'Reilly

ATHBOY, County Meath, Ireland - Rev. Patrick Joseph O'Reilly, 87, died of natural causes October 23, 2005, in Athboy, County Meath, Ireland. He was a priest of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings for 61 years. His funeral was Oct. 25, in Ireland.
Father Patrick O'Reilly was born in Ireland in 1918 and attended National School in Kingscourt, County Meath, and went to high school at the Christian Brothers School, Drogheda, County Louth. Prior to entering the seminary, he took advanced studies at St. Finian's College, Mullinger, County Westmeath. He attended St. Patrick's College Seminary, Thurles, County Tipperary, and was ordained in 1944.
His arrival in Montana was delayed nearly a year because of complications of the immigration process during the war. His first assignment was to St. Ann Cathedral, Great Falls, as an assistant in 1945. He was assigned briefly to Sacred Heart in Miles City and then moved to St. Philomena (now St. Matthew) Church in Sidney. In 1948, he was named pastor of St. Anthony Church in Culbertson, with pastoral duties also in Medicine Lake. In 1952, he was named pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Wolf Point, and remained there for 14 years. Then he returned to Sacred Heart Church in Miles City and served for 15 years before retiring in 1983.
In addition to serving as a pastor, he was also a Diocesan Consultor, Dean of the Miles City Vicariate and a member of the Clergy Personnel Board.
He moved to Apache Junction, Ariz., in 1983, and then returned to Ireland to be closer to his family. He is survived by a sister, Olive Rice, of Ireland, as well as nieces and nephews.