Rev. J. Paul O'Brien, S.J.

Paul was at home among people. Whether they were family, students, colleagues, or alumni, Paul considered all the people in his life to be his friends. He eagerly created and maintained relationships, while always looking for and seizing the opportunity to form more.

In 1937, the United States was just beginning to surface from the effects of the Great Depression. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt continued to enact his domestic reform program, known as the New Deal, which, among other things, instituted programs such as the Social Security System. Meanwhile, political conflicts in Europe were also making headline news. Within two years, World War II would escort a new generation of men into the horrors of battle.

J. Paul O’Brien was born on January 21, 1937, just as these events began to unfold. He was the first child of J. Paul and Alma (Niehaus) O’Brien Sr., a young couple living in Cincinnati, Ohio. Within a short time, their family grew to include two additional sons, John and William, who were known as Jack and Bill, respectively.

Among the three O’Brien brothers, Paul was the natural pathfinder. He led his two brothers through the trials and tribulations of their youths, never hesitating to assume the position of “role model.”

As a young man, Paul was guided by a steady and outgoing personality. He made many friends, often by approaching complete strangers with his questions or observations. His classmates at St. Teresa in Price Hill were, more often than not, overwhelmingly charmed by his natural wit. Even the church officials there recognized his sincerity and enthusiasm. He was the unofficial "chief altar boy" at St. Teresa where he served many Masses for the various priests.

Being actively involved with the church excited Paul to no end, yet he was equally as passionate about his other love: baseball. As a natural athlete, he excelled in all aspects of the game. His primary interest, however, was in being a pitcher.

In high school, Paul lost a pitcher’s duel with Dick Drott, a young control pitcher who would go on to play for the Chicago Cubs. Had he not united with the Jesuits, Paul would have considered being a professional pitcher himself. But after playing baseball throughout high school and exploring other interests, like editing the school newspaper, Paul was confident to pursue his Jesuit calling.

After graduating from St. Xavier High School in 1955, Paul entered the Jesuit novitiate at Milford, Ohio. There, he studied to become a Jesuit priest. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in Latin and English from Loyola University in 1960, a Licentiate in Philosophy from West Baden College in 1962, and a Master’s degree in Latin and Greek from Loyola University in 1964.

From his formal education, Paul learned an impressive amount of information, including a number of different languages. He could speak and read German, Spanish, and French fluently, and could read Latin, Greek, and Portuguese as well.

Even with his extensive knowledge, Paul remained modest and obliging to all the people who came into his life. This included the students at Brebeuf, a Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Paul began there in 1962, just as the school was opening its doors for the first time.

Holding the title of Jesuit regent or “scholastic,” Paul’s first assignment at Brebeuf was to teach courses in Latin and English. His students fell in love with his amiable personality and looked forward to each and every class. Although Paul briefly left Brebeuf for ordination in Germany, he was eager to return in 1969.

As a priest, Paul’s new responsibilities included teaching, as well as serving as the alumni moderator. He became the assistant principal of the school in 1970 and, much to the support of the community, was promoted to Dean of Students in 1978.

Paul had a great relationship with everyone in the school, colleagues and students alike. He naturally took an interest in everyone, seeking out each individual and beginning a conversation. Needless to say, Paul was present at every dance, game, or other event, actively trying to meet as many people as he could.

By 1982, Paul had immersed himself so much in the Brebeuf community that he was asked by then president Fr. James P. Gschwend to become the school’s alumni director. Paul enthusiastically accepted the position. To many, he became known as “Fr. Brebeuf” not only because he embodied the values and traditions of the school, but also because he was as much a visible part of the campus as anyone or anything else.

Paul served as rector of Brebeuf from 1986 to 1992, at which time he was assigned to Holy Family Parish in Chicago. It was difficult for him to leave the place he loved, yet he looked forward to any opportunity that allowed him to welcome more people into his life. He spent two years in Chicago, serving as co-administrator and superior of the Jesuit community.

Paul’s next assignment took him to his alma mater, St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. He taught religion and served as faith coordinator for faculty from 1995 to 1999, at which time he returned to Indianapolis and the familiar sights and sounds of Brebeuf.

Paul became the alumni chaplain, but that did not deter him from getting to know the current Brebeuf students. He was just as comfortable engaging an incoming freshman in conversation as he was reconnecting with a twenty-year alumnus. In that way, he was, as former Brebeuf president Fr. M. Joseph Casey stated, “. . . the liaison between past and present.” Even with his time away from the school he loved, Paul had been part of the Brebeuf community since its inception and had faithfully maintained relationships with many of the people he had known.

It was obvious that Paul loved being part of Brebeuf, yet he was never content to sit back and remain oblivious to the world outside its walls. He was a passionate activist for social justice, particularly in Central America. Not only did Paul discuss the human rights issues that plagued this region, he took action. He traveled to Peru and Nicaragua, as well as El Salvador, where he organized memorial masses and rites for the Jesuits killed there in 1989.

Paul also became a vocal opponent of the School of the Americas, a controversial military training institute located in Georgia. The school (which is funded by the United States) is a military training ground for Latin American soldiers. Paul, as well as many others, protested the United States’ involvement in preparing these men to wreak havoc on the masses back in their native lands. He even traveled to Georgia to make a formal protest at the school itself.

Fulfilling the roles of human rights activist and school official were equally as important to Paul, as was his family. Although he was often at Brebeuf or traveling, Paul was always the “great communicator” of the family and stayed in touch with everyone. He never missed a birthday or anniversary.

Fr. J. Paul O’Brien, SJ was a man whose character, within the limitation of words, defies adequate description. Perhaps it is best to say simply that he was a man who said “Hello” to everyone who crossed his path. He made people feel welcome, not only in his life, but also in the community around them. And he encouraged people, by example, to know the world they were part of, lest they forget those who live each day in fear and uncertainty.

Fr. J. Paul O’Brien, SJ was one man, but with passion and kindness he changed people’s lives for the better. He died unexpectedly on Sunday, September 12, 2004 from an apparent heart attack. Members of his family include his two brothers, Jack O'Brien and his wife Christine of Osprey, FL, and Bill O'Brien and his wife Karen of Silver Spring, MD.

Visitation for Fr. O’Brien will be held Friday September 17, from 3-8 p.m. in the Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School chapel. The Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Brebeuf gymnasium, with burial to follow immediately at Calvary Cemetery. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you are invited to share a personal memory. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to:

The J. Paul O'Brien, SJ, Endowed Scholarship at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory2801 W. 86th St. Indianapolis, IN, 46268-1925

OR

The Jesuit Partnership and Jesuit International Missions2059 N. Sedgwick St. Chicago, IL 60614