Father Thomas F. Gilleran, MM

Born: July 18, 1905
Ordained: June 5, 1932
Died: July 31, 1977

Father Thomas F. Gilleran died Sunday morning, July 31st, at Phelps Hospital. He was 72 years old, Father Gilleran suffered from illness during a great deal of his life but his sense of humor never left him even at the most difficult times.

Father Gilleran was born in Nyack, Massachusetts and entered Maryknoll at the Venard in 1923. He was ordained in 1932 and assigned to Wuchow the following year. He showed himself to be a Maryknoller who, though afflicted with poor health, could serve the Society and his vocation to mission in a great many ways. By 1940 he was on the novitiate staff at Bedford and this was followed by successive teaching positions at the Venard, Lakewood, and Glen Ellyn. He served for some time in various chaplaincies in Clarks Summit and, in 1958, began work in Development on the West Coast. As his health continued to be a problem he was assigned to Mountain View and has been at St. Teresa’s for about the last six months and has been a model of kindness despite his own suffering.

Mass of the Resurrection was concelebrated for Father Gilleran in the Society Chapel at Maryknoll, New York at 11:45 a. m. on Wednesday, August 3rd. There was also a vigil service on Tuesday evening, August 2nd at 7:45 p. m. in the chapel. Father Allen Dennis, a classmate, gave the homily.