December 27, 2016

Father Francis X. Sullivan dies at 91; long-serving diocesan priest

REGIONAL
Staff report

SPRINGFIELD — Father Francis X. Sullivan, a long-serving priest in the Diocese of Springfield, died Christmas Eve afternoon at the Marian Center in Holyoke. He was 91. He had ministered in the diocese for almost 68 years and most recently was a concelebrant for the St. Patrick’s Parade Mass which aired in March on the “Chalice of Salvation” weekly televised Mass.

A native of Worcester, Mass., he was born Nov. 13, 1925, the only son of the late Francis X. and Mildred Sullivan. He had one sister, Mary “Jane” Lumb, with whom he was very close. As his eyesight failed in recent years, it was she who made sure he remained an active member of the diocesan clergy, attending countless wakes, Masses and other functions. She passed away suddenly on March 14, 2014.

He was a graduate of Holy Cross College in Worcester and went on to study at the Seminary of Philosophy and the Grand Seminary, both in Montreal. He was ordained a priest by the late Springfield Bishop Thomas M. O’ Leary at St. Michael’s Cathedral on Dec. 18, 1948.

He served as a parochial vicar in several area parishes. His first assignment was at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Springfield from 1949 to 1952. He then was assigned to Holy Cross Parish in Holyoke where he ministered for a decade, from 1952 to 1962. Since that time, his ties to the “Paper City” have been strong. He served two stints as chaplain of the Holyoke St. Patrick Parade Committee.  At the “Chalice of Salvation” Mass in March, Father William Lunney, pastor of St. Jerome Parish in Holyoke, referred to Father Sullivan as the “Bishop of Holyoke.”

Father Sullivan subsequently served at the former St. Patrick Parish in Chicopee from 1962 to 1965 and then at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield from 1965 to 1970. He then was named pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Sheffield and led the parish from 1970 to 1973. He then served as pastor at St. Anne Parish in Chicopee from 1973 to 1985. A window in that church is dedicated in memory of Father Sullivan’s mother, Mildred.

He was appointed to the diocesan budget advisory committee from 1984 to 1986. From 1985 to 1989, he was the pastor of the former Our Lady of Hope Parish in Springfield and the dean of the Springfield Deanery II.

Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski visits Father Sullivan on his 90th birthday in 2015.

He then served as pastor of the former St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Haydenville from 1989 to 1991. His final assignment was pastor at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield from 1991 until his retirement in 1999. Ever willing to serve, in October 2001 he was named administrator pro tem for St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Haydenville.

In addition to his parish duties, Father Sullivan was a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, 309^th Field Hospital, Springfield. He also was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus, serving as chaplain.

He also was a close friend of the late Springfield Bishop Joseph F. Maguire and was listed in Bishop Maguire’s formal obituary. Father Sullivan moved to the Marian Center in Holyoke in 2015. He had just recently celebrated his 68^th anniversary of ordination there with family and friends.

He leaves his nephew, Kevin Lumb, his wife Erica and a grandnephew, Colin, with whom he was very close and who cared for him in recent years. In addition, he leaves another nephew, Francis X. Lumb, two nieces, Mary Judith Hickman and Barbara Lumb. He was predeceased by two other nephews, Richard Lumb Jr. and David Lumb.

The wake for Father Sullivan will be held on Friday, Dec. 30 from 2-7 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m., at Our Lady of the Cross Church in Holyoke. The funeral will be Saturday, Dec. 31 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Cross Church. Burial will be on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at St. John Cemetery in Worcester.