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Fr. Raymond John Gore, OP
John Gore was born in Charlestown (Boston), Massachusetts, on November 1, 1907, the son of
Richard and Mary Gerrity Gore, and grew up with his two sisters, Anna and Mary. After graduation from St. Francis de Sales Grammar
School and Boston High School of Commerce, he began his studies for the Dominican Order at
Aquinas High School, Columbus, Ohio, in the
Fall of 1929. Two years later, he moved on to
Providence College, where, at the end of his sophomore year, he was accepted by the
Province of the Holy Name and traveled for the first time to the West Coast.
John
received the Dominican habit from the Very Reverend Bertrand James Connolly, Provincial,
at Immaculate Conception Priory in Kentfield on September 13, 1933, taking the name of
Brother Raymond (the name by which many of us remember him).
At the conclusion of the novitiate year, he made first profession on September 14,
1934, and was assigned to St. Albert's Priory,
Oakland, to complete his studies for the priesthood. Although
he belonged initially to a class of 15 novices, only one classmate, Fr. Thomas Feucht,
made solemn profession with Ray. There was
always a special bond between the two "survivors."
John Raymond was ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco on
June 3, 1939, by Archbishop John J. Mitty. On
September 1, 1941, he was assigned to St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Berkeley as assistant
pastor, and on October 1, 1944, went to St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, Vallejo, in the same
capacity. About a year later, Ray left the
Order and was absent for about three and one-half years, returning to community life in
March of 1949. Any doubts about the
authenticity of Ray's vocation to the Order and his fidelity were dispelled in a unique
fashion by his perseverance through too many years of difficulty and canonical penalties. He remained at St.
Albert's Priory, Oakland, from 1949 until 1960,
assisting the librarian, sacristan and house procurator.
He was an inspiration to all the classes of student brothers and other community
members who passed through the Priory in those years.
We all remember his gentleness, his patience and his deeply fraternal interest in
his young religious brothers, as well as his warm support for the Dominican Sisters and,
for a time, the laity who served the community in kitchen and laundry.
In the fall of 1960, Ray began a one-year teaching assignment at St. John Vianney High
School, Los Angeles, after which he moved to Kentfield as sacristan, procurator, librarian
and depositor. In 1962, he returned once again
to Oakland, where he served as procurator for three years.
His commute across the bridges continued when he went back to Kentfield for another
three years, after which he was assigned to St. Peter Martyr Priory in Los Angeles. It was only at this time, some 22 years after he
had returned to the Order, that Ray was restored to full priestly ministry without any
restrictions.
Shortly thereafter, on September 6, 1971, he was assigned to St. Dominic's Parish in
Eagle Rock (Los Angeles), where he was to spend the remaining years of his life. In addition to the regular schedule of parish
Masses, confessions and duty days, Ray took on the special ministry to the elderly and
shut-ins of the parish. Since Ray had given up
driving for over 30 years, he developed some dedicated volunteers to drive him around and
assist him on his calls. He spoke often of
this ministry and it helped to make his years at Eagle Rock the happiest of his Dominican
life. Although he didn't boast about his other
good works, he increasingly became a popular counselor and confessor to many parishioners
and touched their lives deeply.
During the latter years of his life, Ray suffered several physical setbacks, broken
bones as well as illness, that gradually sapped his physical energy. When he no longer could carry out his parish
ministries, he became the retired patriarch of the community. Through all of this, he remained a powerful example
of patience and gentle kindness that characterized his life.
Only a few weeks before he died, Ray said from his hospital bed, "The Lord
seems to be taking me piece by piece. But
that's all right with me."
He had the joy of celebrating the Golden Anniversary of his religious profession in
September and his 77th birthday on All Saints' Day in 1984.
John Raymond Gore died on November 29, 1984. A
funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Dominic's Church in Eagle Rock on December 3, 1984,
where the outpouring of affection from parishioners attested to his Dominican presence and
ministry during the last 13 years of his life.
On December 4, 1984, a second funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Albert's Priory in
Oakland, where his religious brothers and sisters, as well as old friends from his many
years in the Bay Area, also demonstrated their appreciation and love for the part that Ray
had played in their lives. Fr. Ray was then
buried at St. Dominic's Cemetery in Benicia, reunited with his classmate and many other of
his brothers who had been such an important part of his life. Ray always showed a
sincere concern and love for his Dominican family and served our communities for years. We now show our love and concern for him
through our prayers.
--Fr. Thomas Raftery, O.P. |
