Bro. Gerald M. Sweeney, OSFS

Bro. Gerald M. Sweeney, OSFS, professed member of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales for 61 years, died on February 23, 2019.

Bro. Gerry was born on April 12, 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of the late Thomas and Catherine (Fuey) Sweeney. He attended St. Bartholomew Parochial School. He graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in 1956. He entered the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in August 1956, made first profession of vows on January 25, 1958 and made perpetual profession on January 27, 1963.

Bro. Gerry served on the staff of the Oblate Novitiate (Childs, MD), De Sales School of Theology (Hyattsville, MD/Washington, DC), Salesianum School (Wilmington, DE), Villa Maria Retreat House (Wernersville, PA) and Northeast Catholic High School (Philadelphia, PA). He retired from active ministry in 2000.

Bro. Gerry had many outside interests. While on staff at Villa Maria Retreat House, he was a member of the Volunteer Citizens Hose Company #1 in Wernersville, PA. While serving at Northeast Catholic, he was a member of the Juniata Town Watch and was a faithful volunteer with The Blind Bowlers in Northeast Philadelphia. He was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus. For a number of years in retirement, he helped provide medical transportation for other Oblates. All throughout his Oblate life, Bro. Gerry loved to travel and enjoyed monitoring police, fire and EMS communications on his scanner.

Viewing and funeral arrangements at Our Lady of Light Chapel at Childs, Maryland are pending.

Read his Homily here>>>