Fr. Bradley laid to rest

Hundreds of mourners yesterday paid their last respects to Jesuit Priest Gary Bradley who was finally laid to rest at Mt. Carmel Cemetery amid an overcast sky.

Many people openly wept as the priest they have come to love will no longer be around to provide comfort in their time of despair and share happy moments with their families.

Even Bishop Tomas Camacho could not control his emotion as he cried during the service at Mt. Carmel Cathedral. The Bishop considered the death of Fr. Bradley, who is a good and faithful friend of the people, a big loss to the CNMI.

At around 3:30 p.m., people were still praying at the cemetery unmindful of the sudden downpour of rain.

“I still could not believe that he is already dead. He is such a loving and caring person,” said Huang Mi Yan, a Chinese nonresident worker. Although he has difficulty walking because of a sprained leg, Mr. Huang attended the mass and stayed at the cemetery even when everybody else has already left. He remembers Fr. Bradley taking his time out from his busy schedule to give him advise since he does not believe in God.

Some 12 priests from the Jesuit community assigned in various islands in Micronesia arrived on the island last night to attend the memorial service and burial of Fr. Bradley.
Fr. Kenneth Gavan, provincial superior in New Jersey, flew in to see for the last time a member of his congregation.

In New Jersey, the Jesuit community gathered at the home of Fr. Bradley’s brother and sister who could not come for the burial. On June 17, 2000 a mass will be held at St. Peter’s Church in Jersey City for the deceased.

Fifty-three-year-old Fr. Bradley succumbed to a massive heart attack while saying mass at Kristo Rai Church on June 4, 2000.

“There is no doubt he will be sorely missed. He left behind a very strong parish and hopefully, it will continue to grow whoever will be assigned there permanently,” said Fr. Joseph E. Billotti, S.J. He was temporarily assigned by Bishop Camacho to serve as administrator of Kristo Rai Parish.

The Jesuit community in Micronesia held a meeting in Chuuk a week ago to plan for the ministry and discuss the possible replacement of Fr. Bradley. “It is definitely hard to find someone who can replace someone like him,” said Fr. Felix Yaoch, head of the Jesuit community in Palau.

Fr. Bradley stayed in Saipan for seven years as vicar general of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa and Pastor of Saint Jude, Santa Remedio and Kristo Rai Parish.

Before coming to the CNMI, he stayed in Chuuk for 27 years where he taught English and History and even learned to speak the Chuuk language fluently.