"How he wished to go": priest dies while celebrating mass

The Deacon's Bench ^ | 10/23/2010 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[markomalley]

From the AP in Florida:

A Catholic priest reportedly died during morning Mass at a church near Tampa.

The website for the St. Stephen Catholic Church in Valrico says Monsignor John Scully died Friday while consecrating a holy ceremony. Scully had been a priest for 62 years.

A cause of death was not immediately released.

The church's website says Scully was originally from the northeast but spent the majority of his time in the Tampa area ministering in a variety of areas.

The bishop of Tampa/St. Pete, Robert Lynch, had this to say on his blog:

I have just received word that Monsignor John Scully, a priest for sixty-two years of this diocese (and St. Augustine for twenty years prior to our formation) died this morning while concelebrating the morning Mass at St. Stephen's parish in Valrico. The exact moment of his death occurred during the Institution prayers of the Mass or the "consecration" of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. It was precisely how he wished to go and would have scripted it had we any power over the time of our death. Monsignor Scully did so many things during his sixty-two years of priesthood, started parishes (St. Catherine's, Largo and St. Michael's, Clearwater (both named after his own mother and father) to name but two, schools and institutions...

..Suffice it to say for the moment, one had to have a stone heart not to appreciate his zeal, energy, and desire for souls. As our Diocesan Director for the Propagation of the Faith for many years, Monsignor Scully's ministry took him to remote parts of the globe, baptizing and confirming, absolving and marrying. He gave his ministry not just to the people of the parishes to which he was assigned but to the world as well. As I digest the news, it is almost like a giant oak has fallen and a huge space has been revealed - one that will not be easy to fill, even though he has been retired for about ten years. When I would suggest to him that he had done enough, he would look at me as if I didn't get it and tell me in effect, "heaven can wait." It did until this morning and, John, rest there now in the peace you earned, reunited with your beloved mother, Catherine, and father, Michael and other members of your family. We are all a little better for knowing you.

UPDATE: The local Tampa newspaper has more reaction, and remembrances from those who knew him.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him...

[devane617]

More Info Here

[topher]

Saint Charbel Makhlouf did not die during Holy Mass, but went into a seizure at the consecration. That was on December 16th, 1898 and he died on Christmas Eve 1898.

He was buried in the ground without a coffin. There was considerable rain during the first 40 or so days of his burial.

There were dazzling lights seen above his grave during this time, so it was decided to dig up the saint-to-be.

He was found to be incorrupt, though his clothes had rotted away (he was buried in dirt (which turned to mud).

There were numerous miracles associated with his incorruptibility in terms of special substances that oozed from his body from time to time.

So this saint was went into a seizure at the consecration of the Holy Eucharist...

This may be a very Holy Priest who died...

[TexasTransplant]

Before I get slammed for being insensitive I will bet a Pay Check the Padre had a sense of Humor and would have found Humor in what I typed (weather he agreed or not... he would have smiled before the lecture started) ... please we all must go, most of us will not go quietly.

TT

[topher]

If he died during the consecration, then it may be an indication of holiness.

As I stated earlier in this thread, Saint Charbel Makhlouf went into a seizure during the consecration and then died on Christmas Eve about 8 days later.

In my own life, I knew a well liked priest that when I went to see him as he lay in the coffin, he had a smile on his face. Since he was part of a religious order dedicated to Mary, I can only imagine that he died seeing the Mother of God.

On the other hand, I knew a priest who was not a very good priest when I was a boy. Another priest told me how he died, and it seemed to give him a fright to describe it.

If one recalls the story of the fig tree, and how Jesus withered the fig tree because it did not bear fruit when He wanted it to, this sounds like this priest.

This priest died on the day he retired from the priesthood...

[TexasTransplant]

Apologies 360

[MarkBsnr]

If we see what we see, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants (often quiet and relatively anonymous).

[TexasTransplant]

Apologies 360

[Salvation]

Just sent this to my priest.

[Prussianone]

He died doing what he believed was his destiny! That, my friends, can be the only true definition of “a calling”. Others I know, would say ‘He went out doing what he loved’, or, ‘he went out at the top of his game’. To quote my old NYC friends, ‘We should be so lucky!’

He is an example of never giving up, no?

For those who knew him, I extend my condolensces.

Blessed Be!

[Mad_as_heck]

He died “with his boots on” doing something noble and good he had devoted his life too. We should all hope to be so lucky.

[livius]

A happy man.

I went to visit the California missions a while back, and I stopped at Mission La Soledad, up on a windswept hill.

The mission priest there starved to death while saying mass. The ranchers were closing in on the mission and he had already given away all his food to the Indians.

He died saying mass and the Indians carried his body 40 miles to the next mission, where he is now buried.

[topher]

From the 16th Century, 17th Century, or 18th Century (or even 19th Century)?

[blackpacific]

Maybe he heard her voice first...

[narses]

Apocalypse 14:13. In those days:I heard a voice from Heaven, saying to me: Write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth now, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow them.

4 Esdras 2:34-35. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. Psalm 111:7. The just shall be in everlasting remembrance; he shall not fear the evil hearing.

Dies irae, dies illa
solvet saeclum in favilla:
teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus!

Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulcra regionum,
coget omnes ante thronum.

Mors stupebit et natura,
cum resurget creatura,
judicanti responsura.

Liber scriptus proferetur,
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus judicetur.

Judex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid latet apparebit:
nil inultum remanebit.

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
cum vix justus sit securus?

Rex tremendae majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me fons pietatis.

Recordare, Jesu pie,
quod sum causa tuae viae:
ne me perdas illa die.

Quaerens me, sedisti lassus:
redemisti Crucem passus:
tantus labor non sit cassus.

Juste judex ultionis,
donum fac remissionis
ante diem rationis.

Ingemisco, tamquam reus:
culpa rubet vultus meus:
supplicanti parce, Deus.

Qui Mariam absolvisti,
et latronem exaudisti,
mihi quoque spem dedisti.

Preces meae non sunt dignae:
sed tu bonus fac benigne,
ne perenni cremer igne.

Inter oves locum praesta,
et ab haedis me sequestra,
statuens in parte dextra.

Confutatis maledictis,
flammis acribus addictis:
voca me cum benedictis.

Oro supplex et acclinis,
cor contritum quasi cinis:
gere curam mei finis.

Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla
judicandus homo reus.

Huic ergo parce, Deus:
pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem. Amen.

[TexasTransplant]

There are real men among us throughout history, I am humbled by your story, true or not it is history and inspires the weak among us (like me) to look up and to aspire ... to be better than what we are. Where can I visit these Missions?

TT

[blackpacific]

The California missions were founded by Father Serra and the Franciscans in the mid to late 1700s. Each mission has its own persona. Mission Carmel is the only mission made out of sandstone, and it happens to be where the saintly Father Serra is buried. A cork tree in the garden reminds one of how practical the Spaniards were. La Purissima is more like a town than a mission, and has reenactments with period dress. Mission San Juan Capistrano has a tiny little chapel where the latin mass is still said, but you have to get there over an hour early to get a seat. Every one of the missions took what was available from the local materials in order to bring about a civilized society, a huge leap given the circumstances. Each of the missions has taken huge hits from earthquakes, hence the need to make the walls as thick and as strong as straw and adobe mud will make them.