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Fr. Mark Pilon laid to rest at Fairfax Memorial Park

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

A poster filled with photos of Fr. Mark Pilon was on display at St. Raymond of Penafort Church in Springfield March 23. ELIZABETH ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The casket of Fr. Pilon is wheeled into St. Raymond of Penafort Church in Springfield March 23. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop Emeritus Paul S. Loverde and several dozen priests of the Diocese of Arlington concelebrated the funeral Mass for Father Pilon March 23. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Father Mark A. Pilon was known as an “outstanding
professor of moral theology,” according to Christendom College President Timothy
T. O’Donnell.

But he also knew something about Mustangs.

One summer, Father Pilon worked with
Tim Connolly, the son of a family friend, on a 1966 Mustang when Connolly was
in high school. “He was sitting there reading the manual to me, telling me how
to fix it,” he said. “I was the guy under the car, wrenching the bolts. It was
an interesting dynamic we had.”

Friends and family, including O’Donnell
and Connolly, gathered at St. Raymond of Peñafort Church in Springfield, where
he served as parochial vicar from 2009-12, as Bishop Michael F. Burbidge,
Bishop Emeritus Paul S. Loverde and several dozen priests of the Diocese of
Arlington concelebrated the funeral Mass for Father Pilon March 23. A vigil was
held at St. Raymond March 22.

Father Marcus A. Pollard, Christendom
chaplain, was the homilist. He told the attendees that Father Pilon was his
parents’ favorite pastor at St. Ambrose Church in Annandale. He spoke about the
privilege of becoming Father Pilon’s friend. When Father Pilon asked Father
Pollard to preach at his funeral, Father Pollard asked the retired priest for
his input.

“What in particular do you want me to
say?” recalled Father Pollard. “He said, ‘To begin with, I need prayers. Don’t
canonize me.’ I immediately said, ‘No problem,’ and he laughed,” said Father
Pollard. “He said, ‘Please don’t talk about me.’ Ultimately he said, ‘Preach the
Gospel, that’s what I am about.’”

Father Pilon was ordained to the
priesthood by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh Nov. 29, 1975. He served as parochial
vicar of St. Louis Church in Alexandria. While in residence at Our Lady of
Lourdes Church in Arlington, he began teaching religion at Bishop O’Connell
High School in Arlington in 1977 and, in 1978, he earned a master’s in
educational administration from The Catholic University of America in
Washington. He was parochial vicar of St. John the Baptist Church in Front
Royal and then professor of theology at Christendom College in Front Royal
(1987-90). From 1990 to 2000, Father Pilon was pastor of St. Ambrose Church in
Annandale.

Caroline Duffy and her family were parishioners
of St. Louis when Father Pilon served as parochial vicar. Her oldest brothers
were not in Catholic school at the time, but “Father Pilon would come over on Saturday
mornings to teach my siblings the faith,” said Duffy. “He was always encouraging
to all of us. He had this gruff exterior but he really had a heart.” 

 

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