Gabriel T. O'Reilly

Father Gabriel T. O'Reilly, founding pastor of Saint David Catholic Church in Davie died June 7, 2013, at the age of 69 years. Born March 7, 1944 in Clara, County Offaly, Ireland, Father O'Reilly was the seventh of eight children. His father, Hugh, was a police officer, and the family was considered "farming stock." Father O'Reilly attended Franciscan Primary School in Clara and St. Kieran's College, then completed his theology studies at St. Peter's in Wexford. He was ordained June 4, 1967 for the then Diocese of Miami and began serving as parochial vicar at St. Monica in Opa Locka. Concurrently, he served as chaplain of the Marian Center for the developmentally disabled and director of the Apostolate to the Deaf and Blind (precursor to today's Schott Communities). In June 1970 he was named parochial vicar of Little Flower Parish in Hollywood and chaplain of the Sunland Training Center in Miami, a state-run facility for the disabled. In 1974, he was named administrator of the newly-created parish of St. David, becoming pastor four years later. By 1979, Father O'Reilly had broken ground on a 15-acre site at 3900 S. University Drive in Davie, and shortly thereafter built a church with seating for 600. Four years later, in 1983, the school opened with less than 100 students. In 1987, another 600 seats were added to the church and the school grew from six classrooms to 25, including state-of-the-art computer and science labs. It currently has an enrollment of 600. Father O'Reilly "loved construction" and frequently handled the heavy equipment himself. He served as construction manager for the altar where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass when he visited Miami in 1987. In 1995, Father O'Reilly spearheaded the founding of a St. David outreach center to serve the needs of the poor in the area. That center is now known as the HOPE Outreach Center, which stands for Helping Other People Every Day. It provides food to people who cannot make ends meet due to job losses, disabilities, health crisis and other emergencies. Survivors include his brothers, Hubert, Terry (Monica) and P.J. (Chris); sister, Lily Doherty; sister-in-law, Margaret O'Reilly; brother-in-law, Daniel Gleeson; nieces, nephews and extended family, all in Ireland and England. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Sara (Whelan) O'Reilly; sister, Carmel Gleeson; brothers, Oliver and Michael and brother-in-law, Manus Doherty. Funeral services for Father O'Reilly will begin Friday, June 14, 2013, at 4 p.m. at St. David, with a vigil lasting all night and vigil prayers at 8 p.m. Archbishop Thomas Wenski will celebrate the funeral Mass Saturday, June 15, 2013, at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale. Arrangements entrusted to Fred Hunter's University Drive Home, Davie. Visit www.fredhunters.com to leave condolence messages for the family.