Fr Michael O’Connor, was called to the Lord on Saturday 25 October at 18.50; Canon Michael Loughlin was present when he died.

Fr Michael’s parents, Daniel and Annie from Co Cork and Westmeath respectively, had five children, all of whom have predeceased him, John, Noel, Veronica, Cornelius and Michael Joseph. Fr Michael was born on 5 August 1931 at Kirkwall in the Orkneys. His father was in the Service of the coastguards and was posted to Withernsea when Michael was three years old. He received his early education in Withernsea, and later went to the Marist College in Hull. At age seventeen, Michael began his seminary training at Ushaw College and was ordained for our diocese in St Charles, Hull, on 28 July 1957.

His first appointment (1957-1960) was at Corpus Christi, Middlesbrough, where his fellow curate was Canon Michael Davern who will be the homilist at Michael’s Requiem Mass. He spent the following eight years as curate at Sacred Heart, Hull, before returning to Middlesbrough (1968-1972) as curate in St. Patrick’s.

Michael assumed his first appointment as Parish Priest at St Teresa’s in Hull, where he remained for three years, before becoming Parish Priest in the same city at St. Francis (1973-1991). For five years of this appointment Michael held the position of Dean. On the retirement of Fr Maurice Hardy, Michael became the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, Hornsea (1991-1996) before moving to Our Lady of Lourdes, Hessle, from where he retired in 2002. Until his illness Michael continued to support the people and priests in Hull and its environs.

Throughout his fifty-one years ministry in the diocese, Michael fulfilled many additional roles, among which was the liaison for the local Radio. For many years too, he was Chaplain to the Sick for the diocesan Pilgrimage, and as many will appreciate, he kept regular contact with the sick on their return.

We express our prayerful sympathy to Michael’s nephews and niece at this time. And in sharing our sincere condolences with Kate Gray who cared for Michael over many years, we are indebted to her for the exceptional care she gave in his recent illness. Our gratitude is extended to Valerie Conway, his doctors and nurses from Marie Curie who along with Kate supported him in the twilight of his life. May the Lord grant him eternal peace.

The Reception will take place at St Charles, Hull, on Thursday, 30 October at 7.00 pm, and his Requiem Mass will be at 1 pm the following day – Friday, 31 October.

Yours sincerely

Rt Rev Mgr Canon Gerry Dasey, Vicar General