Anthony Gorham Farrell

Rev. Anthony Gorham Farrell died on January 10, 2008, in his hometown of South Bend, Indiana, surrounded by his surviving brothers and sisters: Mary Jo Keller, William Hugh Farrell, Maureen Frances Farrell, Patrick Michael Farrell, Kathryn Anne Miller, Christine Carol Mattasitis and Timothy Thomas Farrell, all of South Bend, Indiana. His father and mother preceded him in death.
Fr. Farrell was born March 31, 1938, in South Bend, the eldest child of Thomas Francis and Grace Kathryn (Brugger) Farrell. He was a graduate of Saint Joseph Catholic High School in South Bend.
He attended the University of St. Michael, Toronto, Canada; Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa; St. Mary College, Winona, Minnesota; St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa, (Bachelors of Arts in Theology and Classical Languages); Mt. St. Bernard's Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa; Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, (Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Theology); and the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, (Master of Arts in Classical Languages).
He was ordained for the Diocese of Davenport on June 6, 1964. He was a professor at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, for 27 years and was the Chair of the Theology and Classical Language Departments. In 1982 he wrote the centennial history of St. Ambrose, Bees and Bur Oaks: 100 Years of Saint Ambrose College.
He served as Pastor of St. Peter's Church, Buffalo; Censor Librorum, the Diocese of Davenport; Administrator of the Churches of St. Mary's, Nichols, St. Joseph's, Columbus Junction, and St. Malachy's, Ardon; Pastor of St. Mary's, Grinnell; and he died while serving as the Pastor of St. Mary's, Davenport. Other assignments included serving as President of Cardinal Newman College in St. Louis, Missouri; the Theologian in Residence for the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands; Pastoral Associate of the Church of St. Mary of the Lake in Eustis, Florida, and the National Shrine of Our Lady, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida. For many years he was the visiting theologian of the Diocese of Baker in Oregon. He also was a visiting Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame.
Twenty-five years ago he was inducted into the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, a Papal Knighthood conferred by Pope John Paul II.
The Rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Wednesday, January 16, at St. Mary's Church, Grinnell, followed by a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m. The Mass of Resurrection will be Thursday, January 17, 11 a.m. Smith's Funeral Home, Grinnell, is in charge of arrangements. Fr. Farrell requested that all memorials be made to the Deacons Fund in Grinnell, Iowa, to be shared between the fund there and the Deacons Fund at St. Mary's in Davenport, Iowa.
Priests are reminded to offer the customary three Masses within one month, if possible. "Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him."