Rev. William A. O'Connell
Deceased: 2012-10-01
Diocese: SAN FRANCISCO
ICTE Fall: 1990
Rev William Arthur O’Connell SM died on Octover 1, 2012. William was born May 27, 1927, in Oakland CA, to Lawrence and Marguerite (McNamara) O’Connell. He had one sibling, an older brother, Lawrence Jr. While attending St Joseph’s High School in Alameda CA, he decided to join the Society of Mary under the inspiration of Brothers Peter Maier and Herman Keck. When applying for admittance into the Society of Mary as an 18-year old in 1945, Bill wrote: “The Society will not only fulfill the yearning to teach which I have always had, but will help me serve God in the best manner.” He entered the Marianist novitiate in Beacon NY, in August 1945. A year later, when asking permission for temporary vows, he wrote that “if it were possible, and God willing, I would take the vows in August, forever.” Br Bill professed first vows in Beacon on September 1, 1946, and spent the next three years at the scholasticate at Maryhurst in Kirkwood MO and Mount St John in Dayton OH.
Br Bill received a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Dayton in 1949. After teaching for one year at St James School in San Francisco, he served for several years at his alma mater, St Joseph’s. He professed perpetual vows in June 1951 in Santa Cruz CA. In 1952, Br Bill traveled across the Atlantic via the “SS United States” to attend the Marianist International Seminary in Fribourg, Switzerland. He was ordained in July 1956.
Beginning in 1957, Fr Bill ministered in education for 25 years. For nine years, he served at three schools in California as a teacher, chaplain, counselor and moderator of the yearbook and Mothers Club: one year at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco; one year at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena CA; and seven years at Chaminade High School in Los Angeles and Canoga Park. He earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Portland in 1963. In 1966, Fr Bill began many years as an educator in Honolulu at St Louis School. After ministering as a chaplain and guidance director, he served as principal for 12 years. He said his tenure at the school was his most rewarding. “I experienced trust from my staff and students and matured as an educator and especially as a Marianist.” Father Bill’s ministry changed from education to parish work in 1982 when he was appointed pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish in Wailuku, Maui. He returned to California in 1985, where he served as principal of Riordan High School for seven years.
From 1993 to 1996, Father Bill served as chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He returned to Honolulu in 1996 as director of the Marianist Hall Community. The late Father Jack Russi, provincial of the former Province of the Pacific, wrote to Father Bill in 1999: “The members (of your community) are very complimentary of your leadership. They mentioned their satisfaction with the spiritual dimension of the community and how solicitous you are in meeting individual needs and concerns.” He retired in 2005 to the Marianist Cupertino Community in California.
Rev William O’Connell, priest of the Cupertino Marianist Community, died in the service of the Blessed Virgin Mary on October 1, 2012 in Cupertino, California, at the age of 85, with 66 years of religious profession.
