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Goodbye, Fr. Bradley
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Posted on Jun 14 2000
Catholic Priest Gary Bradley, S.J., will be laid to rest today at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. immediately after the Mass of Christian Burial at Mt. Carmel Cathedral.
His body will be brought to Kristo Rai Parish for an 8:00 a.m. mass today, and will be transferred to Mt. Carmel Cathedral for viewing and Rosary.
Fr. Bradley collapsed and died on June 4, 2000 while saying mass at Kristo Rai Church amid the shocked parishioners. He was 53.
A huge number of people gathered at Kristo Rai Church during the memorial service last night where they shared stories about how Fr. Bradley touched their lives. They laughed and cried during the whole ceremony where they found comfort in talking about the man who became everybody’s friend.
Saying the Northern Marianas has lost a good and faithful friend, Bishop Tomas A. Camacho said the death of Fr. Bradley is the wish of every Catholic priest — to die at the altar of God.
“We mourn that we did not have a chance to say goodbye to Pale’ Gary but rejoice in the manner of his death. Pale Gary was an exceptional priest to be granted this wish,” he said.
The Bishop noted that Fr. Bradley died while celebrating the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord into heaven. He collapsed before Communion while saying, “behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World.”
“The Catholics will remember him as an effective preacher. His parishioners will miss their good shepherd. His non-Catholic friends will miss a caring individual. The sick at the hospital will miss a compassionate Pale’ Gary. The diocese has lost a towering priest of God. I personally lost a trusted confidant and adviser. I love him dearly,” Bishop Camacho said.
