Obituary of Msgr. John E. Gilmartin

Retired Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church Monsignor John E. Gilmartin, a retired priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport, died on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at the age of 81 years. Mgsr. Gilmartin, known to family and friends as Father Bob, was born in Danbury, January 10, 1930, the son of Dr. Charles A. and Kathryn (Niland) Gilmartin. He attended St. Peter Parochial School and Danbury High School where he graduated in the Class of 1947. The following fall, he entered St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, CT and after two years, received his Associate Arts Degree and was assigned to the major seminary at St. Bernards in Rochester, NY to study Philosophy and Theology. After four years there, he completed his studies for two more years at Christ the King Seminary in Olean, NY on the campus of St. Bonaventure University. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 10, 1956 in St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport by the Most Reverend Lawrence J. Sheehan, D.D. His first assignment was as Parochial Vicar at St. Ambrose Parish in Bridgeport. Assigned to teach at Notre Dame High School, in June of 1960 he took up residence at St. Mary Parish in Bridgeport and the next year he was in residence as Assistant Chaplin at St. Josephs Manor in addition to teaching. In June of 1962, he was appointed Parochial Vicar at St. Mary Parish in Greenwich where he spent the next seven years. In January of 1969, Monsignor served as Acting Director of the Connecticut Catholic Conference on Education in Hartford, coordinating the efforts of the three dioceses to seek funding for Catholic Education. In June of that same year, he was named a Vice Chancellor of the Diocese and Secretary to Bishop Walter Curtis, D.D. In June of 1970, he returned to parish ministry with a brief assignment at St. Cecilia Parish in Stamford followed by his appointment as Rector of St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport. In June of 1976, Monsignor became Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Trumbull where he served until June of 1986. From June of 1986 until June of 1989, Monsignor served as Pastor of St. Andrew Parish in the north end of Bridgeport. It was at this time that, at the request of Bishop Curtis, he received the honor of being appointed a Domestic Prelate by Pope John Paul II. His final pastoral assignment was as Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church in the Lordship section of Stratford where he would serve for 16 years until his retirement in June of 2005. In retirement, Mgsr. Gilmartin resided at his familys residence in Knollcrest on Lake Candlewood and served for 5 years as Senior Priest at St. Edward the Confessor Parish in New Fairfield. He also maintained a residence at the Catherine Dennis Keefe Retirement Home for Priests in Stamford. In addition to his parents, Mgsr. Gilmartin was predeceased by a sister and brother-in-law, Helen and John Collins and by a brother, Charles A. Gilmartin, Jr. He is survived by his nephew and niece, Dr. John A. and Joanne (Riordan) Collins of East Greenbush, NY and New Fairfield, a niece Nancy (Gilmartin) Brigham and her husband Craig of Kure Beach, NC, a sister-in-law, Eileen (Tyrell) Gilmartin also of Kure Beach, and a nephew, Thomas G. Gilmartin of Atlanta, Ga. He is also survived by the following grand nieces and nephews, John A. Collins, IV and Melissa of Ayer, Ma. Christopher E. Collins and Maria of East Greenbush, NY, Michael S. Collins of East Greenbush, NY and David, Christopher and Hannah Brigham of Kure Beach, NC. He is also survived by four great grand nieces, Morgan, Kathryn, Keira and Margo Collins and a great grand nephew, Henry Collins. Survivors also include first cousins, Anne Niland of Danbury and John Niland of Cheshire and by many other cousins whose friendships he treasured and whose babies he baptized and, in many cases, later presided at their weddings. Funeral Information The Reception of the Body will take place at Our Lady of Peace Church, 230 Park Blvd, Stratford at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2011 with visiting hours until 7:00 p.m. A Parish Vigil Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 7:00 p.m. by Msgr. Stanley B. Rousseau and Rev. J. Barry Furey as homilist. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Peace Church on Tuesday,December 6, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. by the Most Reverend William E. Lori, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport and Rev. Msgr. Frank C. McGrath as homilist. Interment will take place in the family plot at St. Mary Cemetery, Bethel, CT. Donations Information In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to one of the following: Sanctuary Fund of Our Lady of Peace Church, 230 Park Blvd., Stratford, CT 06615, The Thomas Merton Center, 96 Catherine St., Bridgeport, CT 06604, The St. Charles Brazilian Mission c/o Propagation of the Faith Office, 238 Jewett Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06606, or The Catherine Dennis Keefe Queen of the Clergy Home, 274 Strawberry Hill Ave. Stamford, CT 06902.