Brother Timothy O'Connell

Brother Timothy O'Connell, C.S.C. Dec. 26, 1933 - Nov. 4, 2014 NOTRE DAME - Brother Timothy O'Connell, C.S.C., age 80, died on November 4, 2014, in his residence at Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 26, 1933, the son of Timothy and Katherine (Breen) O'Connell. He attended St. Adrian Elementary School and St. Philip High School, graduating in 1951. That Fall, he went to St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he studied for the next 3 years. He returned to Chicago in 1954, to work in the general office of Marshall Fields and Company for two years and attended summer school at Loyola University. He recognized he had a calling to the religious life and after corresponding with the Holy Cross Brothers, he went, in January 1956, to Sacred Heart Juniorate in Watertown, Wisconsin. Six months later, he traveled to Rolling Prairie, Indiana, to enter St. Joseph's Novitiate for a year of spiritual training. He pronounced his vows as a Brother of Holy Cross on August 16, 1957. He studied for a semester at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, and then began a life of ministry and service. His skills in office management and finances were recognized. His first position was in the business office of Ave Maria Press at Notre Dame. He joined the staff at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, for a period of seven years, assisting in the treasurer's office and was the cheerful and efficient manager of the bookstore. He worked for the Cleveland Diocese as office manager for Catholic Boards of Education in Mentor and Lorain, Ohio. His office skills led to positions in hospitals in Boca Raton, Florida, and Columbus, Ohio. He spent seven years serving as the Director of Purchasing and Dietary for the Sisters of the Holy Cross at Notre Dame. He held the same position for the IHM Sisters in Monroe, Michigan, for five years. He was the financial aid director at Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans. He served as business manager of parishes within Detroit, Michigan, Lantana, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona. In 2001 he returned to Notre Dame as the assistant director of Andre Residential Services at Holy Cross Village, serving as religious superior for a time and then volunteered on the staff of Dujarie House. Timothy and Br. Robert Fillmore were housemates in one of the villas and were helpful and supportive for each other. Timothy was often available to provide transport for Village residents for their medical appointments. His demeanor often belayed his caring and generous heart. One of his activities, for which he was very proud, was being the cross bearer at funerals for the C.S.C. Sisters at Notre Dame, since his own sister, Sister Katherine O'Connell, C.S.C., had been a member of the order. Although he never taught in a classroom, he enjoyed being the proofreader of documents by meticulously correcting grammar and spelling mistakes. He would conclude visits with others with the comment, "Don't say good-bye, but 'ciao', since we'll see each other again." Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014, at St. Joseph Chapel, Holy Cross College, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. The Mass of Resurrection will then follow with interment afterward at St. Joseph's Cemetery of the Village. Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Memorial contributions, in honor of Brother Timothy O'Connell, C.S.C., to support the mission and ministries of the Brothers may be sent to Brothers of Holy Cross, Office of Development, P.O. Box 460, Notre Dame, IN 46556.