Rev. Msgr. Patrick Cronin
Deceased: 2019-05-14
Diocese: SAN ANTONIO
ICTE Spring: 1996
AUGUST 23, 1940 – MAY 14, 2019
Msgr Patrick Cronin, born and raised in County Cork, Ireland, to Ann Quinn and Daniel Cronin, who preceded him in death. He is survived by 1st Cousins Robert & Elizabeth Cronin, Terrence Cronin, and Brid O Sleherty; 2nd Cousins Robert and Kevin Cronin along with other family members and his beloved parishioners from the various Catholic Churches within the Archdiocese of San Antonio, whose lives he has touched.
Father Pat, as he preferred to be called, would have celebrated his 52nd anniversary of ordination as a priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio on June 10. Father Pat was honored by Pope John Paul II with the honorary title of Monsignor in 1998.
Father Pat is best remembered for his devotion to our Lord, and his priesthood, through the love he showed his parish family. He was always available for his flock, even at the end. He often said he prayed for his Prince of Peace parishioners daily. Let his legacy of service, love for one another, and especially love for our Lord, live on in all of us who loved him.
His first priestly assignment was at St. Mary Magdalen Church working with the religious education program. In the archdiocese, Father Pat served at St. Paul’s Church in San Antonio, Blessed Sacrament Church in San Antonio, St. Luke Church in Loire, Our Lady of Perpetual Church in Selma, and finally in June 1993 was assigned to Prince of Peace Church, serving there until June 2016.
In 1987, while assigned to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a group of parishioners approached Father Pat about developing a parish based retreat meant to inspire people: renewing and strengthening an individuals’ fellowship with Christ and encouraging a person to become more involved in the parish community. This became the ACTS retreat program.
In February 1999, the first Couple Shared Prayer retreat at Prince of Peace was held. He gave married couples the opportunity to develop a stronger relationship between themselves and the Lord through prayer.
Father Pat received the St. John Vianney Award honoring an outstanding priest of the archdiocese in 2015. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, stated in introductory remarks, “Father Pat’s lifetime of priestly service has been a blessing to the people of the archdiocese.”
Prince of Peace is currently raising funds to building a new Parish Life Center – adding additional classrooms and meeting rooms — which will be named for Father Pat. In endorsing the effort, he stated, “While this building will someday bear my name, this honor is not mine. All glory be to Christ.”
All funeral services will be held at the church at 7893 Grissom Road. On Sunday, May 19, viewing will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and rosary will be held at 5:30 p.m. On Monday, May 20, viewing will be held from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., with rosary at 9 a.m. The funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m., with Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, presiding.
In lieu of flowers, those interested in honoring Father Pat’s legacy of service to Prince of Peace Parish are asked to make a pledge or donation in his memory to the “Like a Mustard Seed” campaign, as the monsignor will be the namesake of the Monsignor Patrick Cronin Parish Life Center.
