Yesterday I blogged “Connecting the dots.” I concluded with a promise to add a little information regarding Father John Sullivan‘s years in Montreal. It’s sketchy, but both of interest and disturbing. The following information is, at this point, limited to what I found online coupled with what I have been told.
(1) According to his obituary, Father Sullivan retired in 1989, and “after retiring he came to live in Montreal with his sister Josephine thus enabling her to live in the family home until she was 100 years old. They travelled, gardened, and hosted many gatherings of family and friends. He was also Josephine’s dedicated and constant companion when she moved to the Triest residence and this continued when he himself moved to the same residence until her death in 2013. (Sullivan died at the residence)
(2) Josephine Sullivan died 13 July 2013. She was actually, according to her obit, two days shy of her 104th birthday. She was a long time member of the St. Aloysius Parish in the Maissoneuve area in the East end of the Montreal Archdiocese.
(3) I was told that Father Joseph Sullivan was welcomed into St. Aloysius because so many of the parishioners knew his sister. Josephine, however, lived the majority of her life in the family home, hence I think that it must also have been the home in which Father John Sullivan was raised and the parish which he attended as a a child?
No matter, I have been told that Father Sullivan gradually ingratiated himself to the parish priest, first offering to concelebrate at Masses, and then, if the pastor, who was responsible for two parishes, was sick or going to be away for a while , Father Sullivan was “ready to help.” I don’t know when Father Sullivan began to offer his assistance as a priest
(4) In September 2002, Robert Harris, a Montreal priest, was consecrated auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste Marie. The consecration took place in Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Basilica. Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe was the principal consecrator. (Father John Sullivan you will recall, was incardinated in the Diocese of Sualt Ste. Marie)
(5) In attendance at the consecration of Bishop Harris were a number of priests from the Sault, including the Vicar General of the day, Bishop Paul-Andre Durocher.
(6) In attendance in the congregation were a number of priests. Included in the group, and fully vested with alb and stole, was Father John Sullivan.
(7) Immediately after the Mass, Bishop Durocher contacted someone within the diocese to advice of Sullivan’s history. Cardinal Archbishop Turcotte was informed;
(8) Cardinal Turcotte contacted all English-speaking pastors to advise of Sullivan’s background;
(9) Father Sullivan was required to sign a document affirming that he “could no longer” have ministry in the archdiocese;
(10) One observer tells me that there was not an ounce of remorse over his actions. I am also told that after he signed the document his words were “Well, I’m off to the casino.”
I am uncertain at this time if Father Sullivan did or did not have “faculties” to say Mass and hear confessions for whatever number of years he was doing so in the Archdiocese of Montreal. It is highly doubtful that he had them from the Sault. Did he have them from the Archdiocese of Montreal? If yes, what care was taken in checking his background? If not, why was he permitted in the sanctuary?
This all goes to show yet again that these priests should be defrocked, then there is no opportunity for such sacrilege.
Enough for now
Sylvia