Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 3/17/05)

John Patrick "Jack" Sullivan, a member of St. Agnes Parish in Arlington, lector, usher, eucharistic minister, altar server, Knight of Columbus, Hibernian, Arimathean, hospital volunteer, and godfather or sponsor to countless Catholics, died March 10, at age 74.

Sullivan was born Sept. 26, 1930, in the "Irish Harlem" area of New York City. He graduated high school from All Saints School in 1945, and two years later joined the Air Force.

In 1952, he answered a recruitment notice for Washington D.C. police officers and was sworn in on Nov. 1 of that year.

In 1956, Sullivan married Patricia Cahill at St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington. They raised two sons, Michael and Patrick.

Sullivan retired from the police department in 1973 and began working for the federal government’s Department of the Interior until his retirement in 1988.

In a 2002 interview with the Arlington Catholic HERALD, Sullivan advised his fellow retirees to, "Get out there and start sharing with people. It’s amazing how you’ll get back more than you give."

His "retirement" was anything but restful as he volunteered in several capacities. While helping at a Knights of Columbus Christmas party he overheard people talking about volunteer opportunities at Arlington Hospital. He signed up and worked in the emergency room for more than a dozen years.

"I love to interact with people," Sullivan said. "When someone comes in [the emergency room], who really needs some help, not physical, I mean when they don’t know what’s going on, I enjoy trying to help. I know how it is when I go into a place and someone treats you like, ‘Go take a number.’ I try to be understanding and sympathetic."

In 1989, he became active with the Arimatheans, a Catholic lay group which assists with funerals at Ft. Myer. He served as administrator, overseeing the men and women who assist the Catholic chaplains at funeral Masses for military personnel and their dependents.

Sullivan became a caregiver to Msgr. Thomas P. Scannell after he moved into a nursing facility. He would run errands and visit the monsignor daily.

Sullivan’s funeral Mass was celebrated March 14 by Father John Kelly, former parochial vicar at St. Agnes, with seven other priests concelebrating. They included: St. Agnes Pastor Father Lee Roos; Parochial Vicar Father Christopher Pollard; Msgr. John T. Cilinski; former Pastor Father James. R. Gould; Father Daniel Mode; Father Paul Gaggawala; and Msgr. Joseph Goudreau of the Military Archdiocese.

In his homily, Father Kelly said Sullivan was "a man of family and a man of faith.

"He trusted in God and never complained," Father Kelly said, adding that Sullivan accepted suffering while he asked God for courage.

Sullivan had a tremendous devotion to Our Lady, the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, according to Father Kelly.

"The world was a beautiful place with him in it and it will be a little less beautiful without him in it," said Paul C. Fischer, a family friend for the past 14 years. "He was a good, good friend," Fischer said. "What a great example. I’ve lost a wonderful friend."

Father Kelly referred to Sullivan as being a father to Fischer. Although he jokes that he was not officially adopted by the Sullivans, he was "accepted into the fold, and they had me over for every holiday except Christmas.

"A guest in his home was Christ in his home," Father Kelly said, speaking of his many visits to the Sullivan home.

"God rest your good and faithful soul," Father Kelly said.

Sullivan is survived by his wife, Patricia; sons, Michael of Lorton and Patrick of Arlington; sisters, Rita O’Shea of Florida and Teresa "Dolly" Sullivan of Georgia.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Community Hospice of Virginia, 520 N. Washington St., Falls Church, Va. 22046 or the Lombardi Cancer Research Center c/o Lombardi Clinic Research Building, Room E-501, 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, D.C. 20057.