First Mass of Fr. Timothy O’Brien, FSSP
Reverend Father Timothy O’Brien, FSSP, was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Excellency, Bishop James D. Conley at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 30, 2015. He offered his First Solemn High Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Chapel in Lincoln the following day, with Rev. Fr. Matthew McNeely, FSSP, serving as Assistant Priest, Rev. Mr. Christopher Mahowald, FSSP, serving as Deacon, and Rev. Fr. Karl Marsolle, FSSP, serving as Subdeacon.
Father O’Brien was born to Steven and Lori O’Brien in Phoenix, Arizona, but moved to a small town in Northern Nevada when he was three. He is the fourth of six children. Father is very thankful to his parents for handing the faith on to him, for creating an environment where the virtues could be practiced and for always being true to the Church and to the Pope.
After one year of college, he enlisted in the Army. Father served his country for four years, three of which were spent in Fort Campbell, Kentucky and for one year he was deployed to the Middle East. After returning from overseas, Rev. Fr. O’Brien took a weekend trip to Columbus, Ohio, and attended a Solemn High Mass in Latin for the first time. After witnessing the beauty, order and majesty in that Mass, he began to discern a vocation to the Priesthood. After witnessing “the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven,” Father reoriented his life so that he might serve God as best he could. He began also to attend daily Mass when he was able and, when his enlistment was over, he returned to Nevada.
Father was attending Mass three times per week and began looking into possible seminaries in which to test his vocation. This is when he first became acquainted with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. He visited their apostolate in Sacramento, and met the three Fraternity priests there. With their assistance, Father O’Brien joined the Fraternity’s Seminary in the Fall of 2008. The seven years of formation flew by very fast, the last year being but a blink of the eye.
Father O’Brien is very grateful to all those he has met along the way and to all those who have helped him to approach the Altar. “What shall I render to the Lord for all that He has rendered unto me? I will take the Chalice of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord.” Please pray for Father O’Brien that he might be a good and holy priest.
June 24, 2015