Father James R. O’Gara, CSP, dies

August 8, 2014

A Mass of the Resurrection was offered for Father James R. O’Gara, CSP, at St. Pascal Church in Chicago. Interment followed at Queen of Peace Cemetery. Father O’Gara died Aug. 8 in Chicago a the age of 80. He was a member of the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle for 59 years and priest for 53 years.

Father O’Gara was born in Chicago on Sept. 2, 1933. He made his first promise with the Paulist Fathers in 1955, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 1, 1961 at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City.

Father O’Gara’s first priestly assignment was as a summer assistant at Old St. Mary’s in Chicago. He then spent a pastoral year serving at the Paulist Center in Boston from 1961-62 before being appointed associate pastor at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto from 1962-66; associate pastor at the Church of Santa Susanna in Rome from 1966-67; and returning as associate pastor at St. Peter’s in Toronto from 1967-71.

Make a gift in memory of Fr. O’Gara Father O’Gara headed to New York City, serving at the Newman Apostolate at the Community College of New York from 1971-82.

Returning to his native Chicago, Father O’Gara served as associate pastor at Old St. Mary’s from 1982-92.

In 1986, Father O’Gara began serving as chaplain of Unite Here International Union, and in 1994 became chaplain of the Korean Catholic Youth Club at Holy Korean Martyrs Church in Chicago. Father O’Gara entered senior ministry in Chicago in 1997.