Robert Francis Bernard O'Riley, O.P., Death, 2008-03-14
Scope and Contents
This collection contains personal materials relating to friars after they have left the order, passed away, or transferred to another province. Each friar's file contents are mostly contain to their novitiate records, canonical assignments, historically important correspondence, and a small number of personal items if desired upon their passing. Within the broader collection, each Friar is sorted as a series.
Friars with particuarly substantial historically important papers or items outside of the scope of the Personal Files Collection are moved to a dedicated collection under their name.
This collection is a work in progress and any use of these files requires the explicit permission of the Provincial. Contact the Archivist to discuss access or inquire about friars that may not been cataloged yet.
Dates
- Creation: Death, 2008-03-14
Conditions Governing Access
Requires explicit permission from Provincial to access any records. Contact the Archivist for more information.
For comprehensive lists and records of individuals who left the order or transferred to other provinces, researchers must contact the archivist. Access to such materials may be restricted and is subject to privacy considerations and organizational policy.
Conditions Governing Use
Can only be accessed upon written permission of the Provincial. Contact the Archivist for further details.
Biographical / Historical
Robert Francis O'Riley was born on July 14, 1930, in Missouri Valley, Iowa. He was the son of Hector Anthony O'Riley and Myrtle Iva Spencer. He had two brothers Richard and David O'Riley. He studied at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, where he met the Dominicans. He entered the Dominican Novitiate in Winona, Minnesota in August 1951 and was given the Bernard. Brother Bernard made his profession of vows on August 31, 1952 and was sent to study philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest. He continued his studies in
theology at Saint Rose Priory in Dubuque, Iowa and was ordained to the priesthood on May 24, 1958.
Because of his gifts in writing, he was assigned as an Associate Editor for the Priory Press in Dubuque and was appointed the Master of the "Young Dads". When the Priory Press moved to Chicago, he was assigned as the chaplain to the enclosed Dominican Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Priory Press went through many changes and was closed for a time. Father Bernard, with a group of friars, began a preaching ministry for cloistered religious women. He was a regular preacher and teacher at monasteries of Dominican and Carmelite nuns throughout the United States.
When the preaching team ended, he moved away from the province community and took up residence in Morristown, New Jersey. He developed a serious heart condition resulting in his limiting his retreat work to a small number of monasteries. While planning to start a retreat for the Carmelite nuns in Missouri, he died in his sleep on March 14, 2008. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Saint Pius V Priory and he was interred in the Dominican plot at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Extent
From the Collection: 100 Linear Feet (30 File Cabinets )
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives of the Province of St. Albert the Great, U.S.A. Repository
1910 S. Ashland Ave
Chicago Illinois 60608 United States
3122430011
archivist@opcentral.org