Bishop Jaime Soto will preside at a memorial Mass for Father Edward O’Hara, a retired priest of the diocese, on Wednesday, March 14 at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of Grace Church, located at 911 Park Blvd in West Sacramento.
Father O’Hara, who served as a priest of the diocese for 57 years, died on Feb. 24. He was 83. He retired from active ministry on June 15, 1999 and was named pastor emeritus of Our Lady of Grace Parish in West Sacramento.
A reception will follow the Mass at Holy Cross Parish hall, located at 1321 Anna St. in West Sacramento.
A native of County Longford, Ireland, he completed studies for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 19, 1960 in All Hallows College chapel by Bishop John Scanlan of Honolulu, Hawaii. There were 38 men ordained that day for dioceses throughout the English-speaking world.
Following his ordination, Father O’Hara traveled by ship in September 1960 to the United States with other priests who were ordained for service in the Diocese of Sacramento, among them Father Sylvester McDermott (now deceased), Msgr. Murrough Wallace (now retired) and Father Aidan O’Reilly (now retired).
From October 1960 to September 1966, Father O’Hara served as assistant pastor of Holy Cross Parish in West Sacramento. During these six years, he recalled to The Catholic Herald in June 1999, he helped the parish raise funds to build a new church in 1960 and over the next three years parishioners watched with pride as a new rectory, convent and social hall were completed.
He was also assistant pastor of Presentation Parish in Sacramento from 1966 to 1972, St. Joseph Parish in Auburn from 1972 to 1973, and St. Philomene Parish in Sacramento from 1973 to 1974.
His first and longest pastorate was at Our Divine Savior Parish in Chico from July 1974 to August 1994. He told The Herald in June 1999 that the parish always held a special place in his heart. “These were very genuine people, anxious for leadership, people very involved in ministries like an outreach to the homebound. They were encouraging me…and I just let them take ownership.”
During Father O’Hara’s tenure at Our Divine Savior, the social center was remodeled into a church and new religious education and social centers were constructed. The parish community, which was about 200 families when Father O’Hara arrived, tripled in size.
Those who knew Father O’Hara through the years also commented about his love of golf. In 1999 he claimed a handicap of 13. He said he saw the game as a good way to relax and spend time with fellow priests.
He served as pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in West Sacramento from August 1994 to June 15, 1999, when he was named pastor emeritus and retired from active ministry. He had been residing since retirement in Lisryan, Granard, County Longford, Ireland, where he filled in for vacationing priests.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Father Michael O’Hara, a priest of the diocese and pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Sacramento from 1984 to 2001, who died in December 2001; his brother, Hugh O’Hara; and sisters, Bridget and Nell Campbell and Maureen Prunty. He is survived by two brothers: Pat O’Hara of GarryMore, Ballinagh, County Cavan, Ireland; and John O’Hara of Killasonna, Granard, County Longford, Ireland.