Westmeath priest who founded US parish is laid to rest

A Westmeath priest who founded a parish in southern California and spent 60 years serving a number of dioceses on the west coast of the United States has been laid to rest in Tubberclair.

Monsignor Colm Conlon, a native of Lisdisson, The Pigeons, passed away peacefully at Mullingar Regional Hospital on Sunday, December 10 last, and his passing is the end of an era for his family and for the the parish of St. John Neumann in Irvine, Los Angeles, which he founded in 1978.

Ordained as a priest in 1959, the son of the late Lily and Joe Conlon left Ireland for the United States where his various appointments took him to parishes in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Lakewood, Costa Mesa and Tustin in California.

Despite officially retiring from active ministry in 2009, such was the popularity of Msgr Conlon among his parishioners that he was invited back to his beloved St.John Neumann parish once again where he provided pastoral care, distributed Holy Communion and anointed the sick at a local medical facility. He also celebrated Mass at the parish church and heard confessions.

Having visited his original family home outside Tang on a regular basis over his years in the United States, Msgr Conlon made the final decision to return to his native Westmeath in June of last year after he suffered an unfortunate fall which partially debilitated him.

Over his six decades in Southern California, the Westmeath priest endeared himself to everyone he met and left behind a vibrant parish of over 4,000 registered families. During his time in Irvine, he helped raise money for numerous new buildings in the St John Neumann parish, including a youth ministry building and a parish rectory.

The parish community organised a number of warm and sometimes tearful receptions for 87-year old Msgr Conlon in June of last year before his return to Ireland, during which he was described as “a wonderful priest” and “an incredible presence” by the pastor of St John Neumann Churc, Fr Jeff Droessler.

In an interview with the Orange County Catholic newspaper in Irvine before his return to Ireland last year, Msgr Conlon said the establishment of the St John Neumann parish was “quite an undertaking, I wouldn't call myself a businessman, but God is good, and the people were great. The parishioners made the hard work light.”

During his last sermon to his beloved parishioners, the Westmeath priest spoke about the peace of Jesus, which he described as “an inner peace” and said he would like all the families in the parish to feel that peace as he made preparations to return to Ireland.

Monsignor Conlon is sadly missed by his brother, Fr. Paddy, who served as a priest in the Diocese of Plymouth in England for many years, and who celebrated the Funeral Mass for his brother; by his sisters Vonnie and Mary, his relatives and extended family and his many good friends and neighbours both in Ireland and Los Angeles. He is predeceased by his parents, Lily and Joe and his brother Liam.

The Westmeath priest was laid to rest in Tubberclair Cemetery following Requiem Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Tang on Wednesday, December 13 last.