John Joseph Sheridan, O.S.A.

1929 – 2023 (February 9)

John Joseph Sheridan, O.S.A., was born on April 16, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Elizabeth Sheridan, and he was baptized at Saint Vincent’s Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 4, 1929. He entered the Order as a brother candidate on June 19, 1944, at Augustinian College, Washington, DC. After a period of postulancy, he was received as a novice on September 14, 1947 and after a year at Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, New York, he professed first vows on September 15, 1948. His name in religious life was Brother Patrick. He professed solemn vows on September 15, 1951.

In 1953, Brother Pat was assigned to Saint John of Sahagun Friary and to Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, DC, where he taught (1953-1955). He then was assigned to Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York, as a teacher from 1955-1958. He volunteered for the Japanese mission and was assigned to Our Mother of Consolation Parish, Nagasaki, Japan where he served for five years from 1958-1963. He returned to the United States and was assigned to Austin Preparatory School, Reading, Massachusetts, as a teacher from 1963-1967. He then volunteered for the Peru Mission, where he spent five years from 1967-1972.

On December 20, 1970, he was ordained to the diaconate. In 1972, after returning to the United States, he was assigned first to Saint Mary’s Hall, and then to Saint Thomas Monastery, Villanova, Pennsylvania from 1972-1976. In 1976, he was assigned to Saint Denis Parish, Havertown, Pennsylvania (1976-1981) as parochial vicar and assisted in the mission office as Assistant Director of Missions. In 1981 he was assigned to Austin Preparatory School’s Friary in residence and completed his theological studies in preparation for ordination to the priesthood (1981-1985). These theological studies were done at Pope John XXIII National Seminary, Weston, Massachusetts. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John McNabb, O.S.A., Bishop of Chulucanas, Peru, on May 4, 1985, at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Fr. John was assigned as associate pastor to Our Mother of Consolation Parish, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania from 1985-1987, and then as associate pastor to Immaculate Conception Parish, Hoosick Falls, New York from 1987-1988. In 1988 he was assigned as pastor to Saint Rita of Cascia Parish, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1988-1992). He next was assigned as pastor to Saint Patrick Parish, Cambridge, New York from 1992-1993. From 1993 to 1997 he was pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Hoosick Falls, New York and also named pastor of Saint George Parish, Pittstown, New York. He then was assigned as associate pastor to Saint Katharine Drexel Parish, Cape Coral, Florida from 1997-1998. In 1998 he was assigned to Saint Thomas Monastery, Villanova, Pennsylvania, and was appointed Archivist of the Province. As Archivist, he oversaw the move of the Province’s Archives from Saint Augustine Friary, the Provincial Offices, Villanova, Pennsylvania, to a larger, state-of-the-art archives facility, consisting of a large vault and work room, called the Middleton Room, located in Saint Thomas Monastery, adjacent to the Province’s Heritage Room. He also oversaw the copying of Province documents on to DVD recording, so that the documents could be electronically accessed and not physically handled, thus assuring their preservation.

Due to illness, Fr. John had moved to the nursing unit of the Monastery a few years ago. He was placed on hospice care a few days before passing away peacefully on February 9, 2023.