Oblate Father Mark S. Mealey, longtime pillar of the Arlington diocese, an Oblate for 56 years and a priest for 46 years, died Aug. 26 at the age of 75 following a long illness. He served the diocese for more than 35 years as judicial vicar, vicar for religious, moderator of the curia and episcopal vicar for pastoral services, and prior to all that, he was a pastor in Reston.
He was born April 6, 1950, in Philadelphia, the second of four sons of Gerald Martin and Alice (Geraghty) Mealey.
He graduated from Father Judge High School in Philadelphia in 1968 and a year later, he made his first profession of vows with the Oblates. He made his perpetual profession in 1972. He was ordained a deacon in 1978 and ordained a priest by Bishop Edward T. Hughes, auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul May 19, 1979.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales in Center Valley, Pa.; a master’s in theology from De Sales School of Theology in Washington; a master’s in history from West Chester State University in West Chester, Pa.; a doctorate in Canon Law from University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1989; and a juris doctorate in Canon Law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1989.
Father Mealey served at St. John Neumann Church in Reston 1979-85 before pursuing his law degrees. After he received the degrees, he returned to Philadelphia where he was a judge for the archdiocesan tribunal for a year before coming to Arlington in 1990.
During his time in Arlington, Father Mealey served as judicial vicar, vicar for religious, moderator of the curia and episcopal vicar for pastoral services. He also served as councilor general of the Oblates and assistant superior general and procurator general.
Bishop Emeritus Paul S. Loverde said that soon after he became bishop of Arington in late March 1999, he “discovered in Father Mark Mealey, a priestly coworker who placed at the service of God’s people in this diocese his entire being quietly yet so effectively.”
“Father Mealey became a faithful and strong support to me in my episcopal life and ministry as judicial vicar, moderator of the curia and vicar general,” Bishop Loverde said. “His wise counsel, his tireless energy, his unfailing support: these were such sources of strength in my own ministry. He was a person of deep prayer and of pastoral love. I continually thank God for Father Mealey’s presence and example in my life.”
In a message to priests, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge called Father Mealey “a faithful and exemplary Oblate of Saint Francis de Sales. In addition to his work for his own order, he served in the Diocese of Arlington for many years and in many different capacities. Our diocese owes him a great debt of gratitude for his work as judicial vicar, vicar general, and vicar for pastoral services.”
Father Thomas P. Ferguson, pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria, worked with Father Mealey for years and succeeded him as vicar general in 2015.
“It was a privilege and a blessing for me to serve with Father Mealey on the staff of our tribunal and in our chancery beginning in 1998, and I was honored to succeed him as our diocesan vicar general in 2015,” Father Ferguson said. “I will always remember Father Mealey’s tireless work ethic, and his dedication to the ministry of the tribunal and to all of our diocesan pastoral ministries, as well as his great commitment to supporting the work of Catholic Charities.
“More than anything else, however, I will remember Father Mealey as a man of prayer and as a person with a great instinct for pastoral charity — he was a faithful Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, and a holy priest,” Father Ferguson said.
“May Our Blessed Lord give him eternal life,” said Bishop Loverde, “and may his example of prayer, pastoral love and giving of self for the good of others lead us to do the same for the building up of this diocese so beloved to him and to us.”
Viewing and visitation will be held Sept. 3, 10-11 a.m., at Immaculate Conception Church, 454 Bow St., Elkton, Md., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at the Oblate Cemetery, 1120 Blueball Rd., Childs, Md.
A Memorial Mass will be offered Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at St. John Neumann Church in Reston.
