Father Conlon legacy of devotion, Vincentian service remembered
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Lois Rogers | Correspondent
Father Arthur F. Conlon, 93, who entered into eternal life Oct. 28, was remembered as a faithful steward, dedicated pastor and champion of those in need during a Mass of Christian Burial Oct. 30 in St. Vincent De Paul Church, Yardville, where he served as pastor for 26 years.
Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., celebrated the Mass for Father Conlon, who at the time of his death, was in residence in Villa Vianney, the diocesan residence for retired priests in Lawrenceville.
Among the 16 concelebranting priests were: Father Stanley W. Krzyston, who succeeded Father Conlon as pastor of St. Vincent De Paul Parish upon his retirement, and Father Rogatus Mepka, parochial vicar there; Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, vicar general and moderator of the curia; Msgr. Michael Walsh, episcopal vicar of Mercer County; Msgr. Casimir Ladzinski; Msgr. John K. Dermond, and Msgr. R. Vincent Gartland, a long time friend of Father Conlon.
In a moving homily, Msgr. Gartland recalled Father Conlon as a faithful priest who “took the Light of Christ and carried it” into a world hungry for the warmth of Jesus, devoting 63 years to the people of the Diocese of Trenton.
“As a priest, he loved and served so well,” said Msgr. Gartland. “We gather to re-affirm his life as a priest which, once it began, never changed, never ended.”
Msgr. Gartland said that throughout the three decades of their friendship, the elder priest, who was devoted to St. Vincent De Paul, did his best to follow the Vicentian Rule of serving, rather than being served. “He took pride in serving. The number of people he quietly reached out to and helped will never be known.” Father Conlon, he said, was always aware that no reward was greater than serving Christ in the poor.
“These are the things he promoted,” said Msgr. Gartland.
A native of Somerville, Mass., and a graduate of Somerville High School, he earned a bachelor's degree from St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H. He taught school in Boston before entering St. Paul's Pontifical Seminary, Ottawa, to prepare for the priesthood.
Ordained a priest June 12, 1954 by Bishop George W. Ahr in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, he served as a parochial vicar at a number of parishes throughout the Trenton Diocese including: St. Anthony of Padua, Red Bank; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Seaside Heights; St. Ann, Keansburg; St. Joseph, Bound Brook; St. Mary, Bordentown, and St. Benedict, Holmdel.
In 1971, Bishop Ahr appointed Father Conlon pastor of St. Vincent De Paul, where he would serve until his retirement in 1998.
During his pastorate, he presided over the building of a rectory and catechetical center. On Father Conlon's watch, the parish paid off its mortgage in seven years.
As an active Vincentian, Bishop John C. Reiss appointed him director of the Trenton Diocesan St. Vincent De Paul Society. In 1988, Robert Simpson, who was president of the Eastern region of the St. Vincent De Paul Society, appointed Father Conlon spiritual advisor to the region's seven eastern states and Judge John Corrigan, Cleveland, OH, appointed him a member of the society's Social Concerns Committee for the United States.
In an interview for The Monitor at the time of his golden jubilee, Father Conlon spoke of these appointments as “a tremendous opportunity to meet so many people throughout the country whose concern for the poor and the needy blended in with the work of the Trenton Diocese.”
In the same interview, he reflected on his years in the priesthood, saying running a parish and working with the St. Vincent De Paul Society left him no doubt that that “his work was done for the love of God. God has been good to me,” he said, “so I owe him my very best.”
Father Conlon's survivors include his niece, Diane Ward, of Wilmington, Mass., who described her uncle as a wonderful many who had endowed the family with many warm memories. “He was always there for all of us.”
He also leaves nephews, Charles McLaughlin III, Fuquay Varina, NC; Robert McLaughlin, Tewksbury, Mass., and Dr. Paul McLaughlin, Portsmouth, R.I. Burial was scheduled to take place in Massachusetts.
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By Lois Rogers | Correspondent
Father Arthur F. Conlon, 93, who entered into eternal life Oct. 28, was remembered as a faithful steward, dedicated pastor and champion of those in need during a Mass of Christian Burial Oct. 30 in St. Vincent De Paul Church, Yardville, where he served as pastor for 26 years.
Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., celebrated the Mass for Father Conlon, who at the time of his death, was in residence in Villa Vianney, the diocesan residence for retired priests in Lawrenceville.
Among the 16 concelebranting priests were: Father Stanley W. Krzyston, who succeeded Father Conlon as pastor of St. Vincent De Paul Parish upon his retirement, and Father Rogatus Mepka, parochial vicar there; Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, vicar general and moderator of the curia; Msgr. Michael Walsh, episcopal vicar of Mercer County; Msgr. Casimir Ladzinski; Msgr. John K. Dermond, and Msgr. R. Vincent Gartland, a long time friend of Father Conlon.
In a moving homily, Msgr. Gartland recalled Father Conlon as a faithful priest who “took the Light of Christ and carried it” into a world hungry for the warmth of Jesus, devoting 63 years to the people of the Diocese of Trenton.
“As a priest, he loved and served so well,” said Msgr. Gartland. “We gather to re-affirm his life as a priest which, once it began, never changed, never ended.”
Msgr. Gartland said that throughout the three decades of their friendship, the elder priest, who was devoted to St. Vincent De Paul, did his best to follow the Vicentian Rule of serving, rather than being served. “He took pride in serving. The number of people he quietly reached out to and helped will never be known.” Father Conlon, he said, was always aware that no reward was greater than serving Christ in the poor.
“These are the things he promoted,” said Msgr. Gartland.
A native of Somerville, Mass., and a graduate of Somerville High School, he earned a bachelor's degree from St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H. He taught school in Boston before entering St. Paul's Pontifical Seminary, Ottawa, to prepare for the priesthood.
Ordained a priest June 12, 1954 by Bishop George W. Ahr in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, he served as a parochial vicar at a number of parishes throughout the Trenton Diocese including: St. Anthony of Padua, Red Bank; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Seaside Heights; St. Ann, Keansburg; St. Joseph, Bound Brook; St. Mary, Bordentown, and St. Benedict, Holmdel.
In 1971, Bishop Ahr appointed Father Conlon pastor of St. Vincent De Paul, where he would serve until his retirement in 1998.
During his pastorate, he presided over the building of a rectory and catechetical center. On Father Conlon's watch, the parish paid off its mortgage in seven years.
As an active Vincentian, Bishop John C. Reiss appointed him director of the Trenton Diocesan St. Vincent De Paul Society. In 1988, Robert Simpson, who was president of the Eastern region of the St. Vincent De Paul Society, appointed Father Conlon spiritual advisor to the region's seven eastern states and Judge John Corrigan, Cleveland, OH, appointed him a member of the society's Social Concerns Committee for the United States.
In an interview for The Monitor at the time of his golden jubilee, Father Conlon spoke of these appointments as “a tremendous opportunity to meet so many people throughout the country whose concern for the poor and the needy blended in with the work of the Trenton Diocese.”
In the same interview, he reflected on his years in the priesthood, saying running a parish and working with the St. Vincent De Paul Society left him no doubt that that “his work was done for the love of God. God has been good to me,” he said, “so I owe him my very best.”
Father Conlon's survivors include his niece, Diane Ward, of Wilmington, Mass., who described her uncle as a wonderful many who had endowed the family with many warm memories. “He was always there for all of us.”
He also leaves nephews, Charles McLaughlin III, Fuquay Varina, NC; Robert McLaughlin, Tewksbury, Mass., and Dr. Paul McLaughlin, Portsmouth, R.I. Burial was scheduled to take place in Massachusetts.
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