Funeral arrangements have been announced for Father Pete O’Sullivan, who led Emporia’s Sacred Heart and St. Catherine’s parishes over 20 years ago and passed away over the weekend.
A visitation with a Rosary will take place from 6-8 pm Sunday at St. Joseph Church, 11311 Johnson Drive in Shawnee. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 am Oct. 18 at the church.
O’Sullivan passed away Saturday night after a battle with cancer. He served parishes in Emporia, Topeka, Paola and several other cities during a nearly 40-year vocation as a priest. Growing up in Shawnee, he attended Washburn University with plans to coach and teach before a three-year stint with the US Marines. It was at that time when he decided to become a priest, so he received a master’s degree in theology from St. Louis University. He was ordained in 1983, 10 years before coming to Emporia.
1:45 pm Sunday: Beloved former Sacred Heart Catholic Church priest Father Pete O’Sullivan passes away
Emporia and several other communities are mourning the loss of Father Pete O’Sullivan the former leader of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Father O’Sullivan passed over the weekend after a lengthy illness. He was reportedly in hospice at the time of his passing.
Father O’Sullivan came to Emporia from Nortonville back in 1993 and was the first diocesan priest to lead the church. He remained at Sacred Heart until 2000 during which time he was at the forefront of several fundraising and renovation endeavors including the building of a new St. Catherine’s Church and the construction of Sacred Heart’s Parish Hall.
Emporian Marvin Tajchman spent much time with Father O’Sullivan both as a parishioner and documentarian as he captured much of Father O’Sullivan’s time in Emporia. Tajchman remembers O’Sullivan as someone who not only cared for his church but the entire community.
Following his time in Emporia, O’Sullivan briefly relocated to Kansas City before moving on to Topeka’s Christ the King Church where he served from 2003 to 2013. Father O’Sullivan would spend the remainder of his life serving at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Paola.
Funeral service arrangements are currently pending.
